A Taste for Mudblood
by astorianox
Summary: Draco knew Project Flesh Eater would be a disaster but didn't expect civilization to collapse in days. The Dark Lord fled from his own mess. Now Draco walks alone among corpses till he comes across another survivor. Trouble is she wouldn't be happy to see him if he were the last man on Earth and he just might be. Dramione/Zombies. Characters:JKRowling Triggers:Gore/DarkThemes
1. ONE

It was one of the more gruesome killings he had ever witnessed. No, it was actually _the_ most grusome killing he had ever witnessed. Even worse somehow than watching his former school teacher be devoured whole by a giant serpent.

Draco was in a sort of detached trance, unable to look away as he watched the meat being gnawed from the bones of a middle aged man.

The man had stopped putting up a fight after only a few seconds, but his abdomen was almost completely devoured before his moans trailed off and his eyes stopped seeing. His screams would forever haunt Draco.

"Nothing left to be done here," a Death Eater to Draco's right said. "We report back to the Dark Lord and tell him Project Flesh Eater is a success."

A success. He turned over the words in his mind. This was the intended result. It was not only barbaric, it was chaotic. Of course no one dared question aloud the Dark Lord's methods, but Draco wondered if he was the only one who believed him to be in over his head.

By the end of the very first day they received their first surprise. The corpses left untended to had opened their eyes. Even more startling, they got to their feet. They did not respond to verbal commands as the original Flesh Eaters did, and they did not restrict themselves to set targets as the others did. All newly formed Flesh Eaters were completely out of the Dark Lord's or anyone else's control.

Draco suspected the act of cannibalism has inflicted some sort of ancient, evil magic that even the Dark Lord himself had not anticipated and certainly couldn't handle. The originals were under command of the spellcaster, the unanticipated new Flesh Eaters were rogue. There was no spell that would put them down. They could only be temporarily subdued.

People around the country tried some desperate methods to rid themself of a threat producing horrendous results.

One Flesh Eater appeared out of thin air on the street with a Port Key stuck to it. Other times, a victim who tried to escape by Apparation would appear somewhere else with the Flesh Eater still attached to them. To make matters worse, the often splinched themself in the rush and panic, making escape impossible. They were usually devoured on the spot. Other times people apparated successfully but landed themself right in the middle of a horde.

Day two brought a second unwelome surprise. A Death Eater had been trying to subdue a rabid, newly dead Flesh Eater, but lost hold of his shield charm. The Flesh Eater bit a chunk from his wrist. Another Death Eater came to his aid, containing the Flesh Eater and healing his comrad's wound.

Throughout the day, the Death Eater became increasingly ill and went to lay down at their headquarters. That night, while the others were resting, he emerged from his room with vacant eyes, his entire wounded arm green with rot. Caught off guard, a little less than half of the stationed Death Eaters were ravaged in their sleep.

Project Flesh Eater had been in effect for an entire three days, and structure was already crumbling. Thousands were dead, at least. Nobody knew how far it haf spread. Bodies, or at least what remained of them, littered the streets. The muggle news was using words like "rapture" and "apocolypse". Wizard supremists used words like "cleansing" and "purification".

There was absolutely nothing cleansing about this.

Five days into Project Flesh Eater, any illusion of control had been abandoned. Pureblood casulties were being reported. The number of dead were seemingly outnumbering the non dead. A death toll that no one was counting was stacking up with no end in site. The disposal of corpses came to an abrupt halt.

By day 7, the Dark Lord had disappeared completely, and things were unnervingly quiet.

Chaos had been replaced by an eerie silence. Where there had once been terrible screams and waves of fleeing people, now was silence among abandoned houses and roads jammed with vacant automobiles. The only creature to dare make noise were the birds who remained unperturbed, except for the excitable crows that happily feasted on the decomposing corpses.

Flesh Eaters walked aimlessly, their eyes unseeing and their conscience scured, following only by sound and scent. Now that Voldemort had abruptly departed leaving no instruction, the few remaining Death Eaters were breaking rank, returning to their families, and seeking refuge from the chaos.

Today was day 13. Voldemort remained unseen and unheard from. The scenery was in shambles, and from where Draco was standing, the world appeared void of life.

Since Voldemort's departure, Draco had been travelling on foot with Theodore Nott. He had lost his broom to a horde a few days before, and had yet to get another. So together they walked, travelling throughout the day and seeking shelter by nightfall. Until this morning.

They had got separated by a pack and took off in different directions. When Draco circled back, Theo was no where to be found, so he lingered near the area hoping Theo had found a safe spot to lay low and would turn back up soon. He walked alone with only his thoughts for company.

Since his parents died, Draco had been merely drifting through life. The battle of Hogwarts had been tragic and traumatizing to all involved. He, like many others, had lost everything that night.

His parents were among the fallen. They had not even been fighting, just trying to make their way to him. Draco has seen them coming, and abandoned his duel to meet them. This was it, he remembered thinking, they were going to flee, leave the fight behind and move on with their lives together. Even though they couldn't return to the Manor, even if it was a meager life of hiding and moving, they would live on as a family.

But Draco watched as his parents were caught in a crossfire of curses. His father shielded his mother from the first, a green jet striking him in the back. He fell like a crumbling statue.

His mother took her eyes off Draco to look down at her fallen husband. He could hear his mothers scream over all the other noise, as if it was somehow the only sound in the world. Though it lasted only seconds, listening to it felt like an eternity. Draco's body was frozen in place, shocked, but a still functioning part of his mind urged him to get to his mother.

He made it one step when her anguished screams were cut short by another jet of green light, and she landed next to her husband.

It was unclear who or even which side cast the curses that killed his parents. There was no way of ever really knowing. The remainder of the battle was a blur. Draco did not lift his wand to cast the first spell after that. He stayed with his parents' bodies, sheilding them the best he could, waiting for his curse to come, but it never did.

He faintly remembered the Death Eaters retreating on Voldemort's orders. He remembered the cries as people began realizing Potter had been killed. Draco remembered feeling as if none of it was real.

The Dark Lord and his Death Eaters returned to their base at Malfoy Manor. Draco apparated his parents bodies home. That night, while the followers celebrated and others around the country mourned Potter in defeat, Draco dug one large grave by hand under the Hawthorne tree near the gardens. The sun was up by time he finished.

Malfoy Manor was destroyed that next evening. Voldemort along with most of the Death Eaters escaped before impact, but several were killed, including Draco's uncle by marriage, Rudolphus Lestrange. This was no loss to Draco personally. Even Bellatrix hardly mourned Rudolphus, but this wasn't surprising. Everyone knew her only true devotion was to the Dark Lord.

Time passed, and Draco continued to walk with the Death Eaters as he had no where else to go. He knew leaving would mean certain death, some days he would have welcomed it, but he trudged along holding a faint hope that one day things would change.

They changed alright

Draco kept his wand steady as he moved stealthily through the streets. A shrill scratching caught his attention as he passed by a stretch of empty homes. He looked around and spotted a Flesh Eater clawing at the window of a brick house, no doubt trying to get to whoever was on the other side of it. Draco passed by undetected.

It was almost dusk. Draco needed to start considering where he would stay once night fell. This area was mostly abandoned, it was a muggle village that had been wiped out in the first few days. He had been here once before. He moved further down the street. Up ahead, a single Flesh Eater was shuffling around. As though it sensed his presence, it changed direction and headed toward him. He readied his wand as it approached, but soon realized something was off.

"No," he heard himself whisper.

Theodore's eyes were glazed over and his mouth was gaping involuntarily. He had red on his teeth and chin. His outstretched hand reached for Draco, and near his wrist was a ring of teethmarks, tinged black and green with infection.

"No," Draco muttered again without meaning to. "Theo?"

Theo lunged for Draco but stumbled and landed disgracefully on his face, having no reflexes to catch himself. Draco backed away as Theo sluggishly got back on his feet. He lowered his wand, knowing there was no spell to fix this.

"Sorry, mate," Draco said, hearing the thickness in his own voice.

He turned his back on Theo only to see that the Flesh Eater from the window was now steps away from him, and two more figures were looming on the horizon. He had made too much noise.

Draco dodged them, running enough to get a little ahead. He hoped maybe they would trail off in another direction, but deep down he knew better. His speed had atleast bought him a few minutes to plan his next move. Losing Theo was another great blow, but there was no time to focus on that right now.

Storm clouds were stealing the sun early, it was time to settle in somewhere. Mingled with the rolling thunder in the distance, another dinstictive sound could be heard. A horde was near, probably passing through.

Draco moved further down the street, but stopped in his tracks to listen to another sound. A voice, a girl's voice. He followed it, making a left onto a side street. He spotted the source of the voice up ahead just before several Flesh Eaters blocked her from view.

"Protego!" Draco heard her shout.

The Flesh Eaters before her were pushed back several paces, the force knocked two of them off their feet. Her shield held them momentarily at bay, but more were closing in behind her. She backed up and almost right into them.

Draco feared shouting would distract her. Instead he cast a nonverbal spell, and sent the ones behind her soaring into the air. They made a sickening thud when they landed, but their rattling groans continued.

The girl whipped her head around, spotting the displaced Flesh Eaters sprawled out some distance away, one already getting haphazardly back to it's feet. She then began searching for the source of the spell.

Draco approached cautiously, unwilling to startle her incase she mistook him for one of them, but at that moment she turned toward him, and they locked eyes. He could see the disbelief mirrored in them.

"Granger?"

 **A/N: Hello readers, I'm happy you're here! If you chose to try out this fic, you either love Dramione, love zombies, or you're like me and you love both. I had this idea brewing for a while and this spooky time of year really got me in the spirit to continue working on it. I hope you'll stick around. As always, feedback is very much appreciated. XOXO**


	2. TWO

It was in fact Hermione Granger. She stared at him for one whole second, then pointed directly at him, her shield charm still in tact.

"Wait," Draco said, holding his hands up in surrender, "I'm not going to-"

"Watch out!" she demanded.

Her shield vanished and was replaced by a jet of light that went right over his left shoulder. He heard a thud behind him. He turned; a Flesh Eater had been knocked off it's feet, only steps away from where Draco currently stood. He should have thanked her, but he didn't.

She then shouted "Accio blade".

Something came soaring from the ground several paces behind her. She caught the knife by it's handle in midair. Draco aimed his wand at a Flesh Eater who was closing in on her left side but before the spell could leave his lips, Granger plunged the blade into it's temple then swiftly removed it.

Instantly, it fell, moving no more.

She repeated the same action to the one behind her. Draco felt his mouth gaping slightly at the sight. She turned to face him again, specks of blood peppered her skin. She was staring past him.

Instinctively, he turned around. Theo was making his way toward them now, dragging the bad foot that slowed him down. Draco felt something move past him.

"Granger.. Granger, no! Don't!"

He grabbed her and pulled her back just as she poised her blade. Theo continued to edge closer to them.

"Let go, Draco! It has to be done."

"The hell it does!"

"He's already gone, surely you know that!"

"But-"

She broke free. Theo made a grab for her as she raised her fist. Draco watched helplessly as she sunk her knife through his eye. Theo collapsed into a pile, his limbs turned in unnatural directions. Draco felt like he too might collapse.

"There was no saving him," she said. "This is the merciful way."

Her voice was firm and clear. She said it in the same manner as anytime he had heard her speak back at Hogwarts, like she believed without a doubt her words were true. He almost believed her, too.

"Merciful?" Draco repeated. His voice sounded far away to his own ears.

"Yes. Would you want to be left existing as that?"

He didn't answer. He was sickened and angry and devastated all at the same time.

"We have to keep moving."

"We?"

Why couldn't he find his own words to use?

"Yes, 'we'. Come on!"

Draco remained where he was.

"Move!"

She grabbed his wrist with her free hand. The other clutched her blade and wand. His mind felt foggy as she led them between two yards, a shortcut leading to the next street over. He could hear a faint rasping sound and knew there were more Flesh Eaters somewhere near by.

"Are you armed?" she asked.

"What? Yes, you saw my wand."

"You need a knife, or a gun."

"What?"

"To your right!"

Draco jerked his head in time to see one lone Flesh Eater who had broke away from the pack, which was still at the end of the block. She yanked him back and stepped up to the Flesh Eater. She knifed it just as she had the others.

"Let's go," she said, blowing hair out of her eyes, "we need to find shelter."

The pack was getting closer. Several were gaining speed. Draco looked away and noticed Granger was already running, so he began running too. A fat raindrop hit his forhead. The sky was now almost completely dark with storm clouds that were ready to burst at any moment.

"The rain will make it harder to hear them coming," she said.

"I know that!" Draco snapped.

She darted abruptly down an alley. She was fast, and despite his athleticism, he had to work to keep up with her.

"What are you doing here, Granger?"

"No time. Save your breath!"

They ran to the end of the alley.

"Where are you taking us?"

"You'll see, keep up!"

"I don't like this, Granger."

"Then why are you still following?"

"I'm not! You're-"

"The only other living person in sight."

"I don't care, we're not even on the same side!" Draco yelled louder than he should've.

She stopped so suddenly he almost ran into her. She rounded on him, and staring him dead in the eye, she grabbed his hand and slammed it onto her chest where he felt the frantic pace of her heart pounding rapidly against it.

"Is your heart beating, too? Is it?"

Drops of rain and maybe sweat ran down her face.

"Yes," he said.

"Then we're on the same side."

She turned around and kicked open a wooden gate, running up the walkway and onto the porch of a large brick house.

"Hurry, and close that gate behind you!"

Again, he did as she said. By time he got to the porch she had already used Alohamora to open the front door.

"We need to make sure the house is clear before we put up wards," she said. "Lock the door behind you. Lumos!"

Draco lit his wand also, and pointed it in the opposite direction of hers. The house looked odd. It was messy as though someone had left in a hurry. Obviously there were no house elves tidying up here. There were also several unfamiliar items, things Draco didn't know a name for. This was clearly a muggle's house.

"Stay close," she said.

She was moving through the house, wand in her left hand a knife in her right. They found themselves in a kitchen, one that looked very strange to him. He was looking at a small, black cube with a door and numbered buttons when he felt something prod him in the back.

"Fuck!" he shouted in surprise.

"Shhhh! Take this!" She was holding a large knife in her extended hand.

He reached for it, but at the same moment something heavy thudded on the floor above them. They both jumped and the blade caught Draco's open palm.

"Fuck!" he said again, and again Granger sushed him.

She took a towel from the counter and pressed it into his hand.

"We'll heal it in a bit. If you can only use one hand, put away your wand and take the knife," she said.

"I'm not putting away my-"

"Do as I say!"

He hesitated, and she left the kitchen to head up the stairs. Though it made him feel immensely vulnerable, he pocketed his wand, clutched the towel in his bleeding hand, and took the knife in his other.

She moved silently up the stairs. She was near the top when he put his foot on the first step, which creaked loudly. She snapped her head around to glare at him, but at the same time the source of the noise appeared at the top of the stairs.

Before Draco could shout, the Flesh Eater made a wretched, gurgling noise, startling Granger and causing her to lose her footing. She slid down several steps and the Flesh Eater followed suit, tumbling down after her.

Draco pointed what he expected to be his wand, but found only the knife in his hand. He jumped back as it landed at his feet.

Granger, who had managed to catch herself around the fifth step, hurried down the rest just in time to plunge her knife into it's ear.

"Fucking hell," Draco said, "are you okay?"

"Fine," she said, though she seemed to be breathing rather heavily.

"Do you think this was the only one up there?"

"I think we made enough noise that if there were more, they would've been here by now. Still, better to be cautious."

She ascended the stairs a second time. Draco was careful to avoid the squeeky step, tredding lightly the whole way up.

"Check those two rooms, I'll get these," Granger instructed.

Draco watched her disappear around a corner. He decided to start with the room closest to him, so he slowly turned the door knob and pushed it open a few inches. He shined his wand inside and saw a child's size bed left unmade, and a number of toys scattered about the floor. Nothing stirred inside.

The second was also a bedroom, a teenager's perhaps. There looked to be no signs of struggle, perhaps this family packed up and left. They could be safe somewhere right now. Perhaps that Flesh Eater laying at the bottom of the stairs had just wandered in through an open door. Draco made a mental note to check for other entryways.

A crash from the other room made him jump. He barreled back into the hallway and saw the room at the end partially illuminated by Granger's wand.

"It's okay," she called, "I just tripped."

She was pulling herself off the floor when he entered. It looked at though she had fallen over a suitcase.

"All clear," she said. "I think this will do for the night. Better pick a room to sleep in."

Behind her was a large, cushy looking bed, obviously the master bedroom.

"Not this one, though. It's mine," she said firmly.

Draco rolled his eyes as she pushed passed him back out into the hallway.

"Come on," she called from the stairs, "we have to get rid of this bloke."

Worried for a second that she intended to do so manually, Draco was relieved to see her levitate him off the floor with her wand.

"Check out the peephole to be sure it's clear before you open the door," she said.

He moved carefully around her and the suspended corpse, and put his eye up to the hole. It was difficult to tell, the image was distorted through the curved glass, and it was dark out now, but nothing looked to be moving exept the trees in the wind.

He opened the door, and Granger directed the corpse out, following closely behind it. She placed it down with suprising gentleness considering the force with which she had stabbed it in the head. She then returned inside, closing and locking the door.

"Now," she said, heading toward the kitchen again, "we check the perimeter for weak spots; broken windows, back doors, basement. Once that's secure we can put up wards and get some rest."

She turned around to make sure he was following. How typical of Granger to be bossy even in a bloody apocolypse.

"I suppose you think you're in charge here?" Draco scoffed.

She let out a hollow laugh.

"Look around, Draco. No one's in charge."

It didn't take long to finish securing the house. Granger put up some wards, and Draco added a couple of his own. She was now rummaging through cabinets, removing cans and packages.

"Food is going to become scarcer as time goes on," she said.

Draco suspected she was speaking to herself rather than him, and felt no need to answer.

"Since the power grid went down a few days ago, parishables left in refrigerators will begin to rot. Assuming this is now wide spread, it will affect farmers. That's people who grow food. It doesn't all just magically appear on a House Elves tray, you know."

Ah, now he knew she was speaking to him.

She slammed a can down infront of him. The label said "Ravioli".

"Feel free to heat it up. Or choose something else, or don't eat anything. I don't care."

She dumped her own can into a bowl, and whispered a spell to heat it. She leaned back against the counter and took a bite.

"I'm sensing some hostility, Granger. You know, I'm pretty sure you're the one who insisted we stick together. 'On the same side', remember?"

Her mouth was full but her chewing slowed considerably, then she swallowed hard and put down her bowl.

"Same side by _default_ ," she said. "If this hadn't happened, things would be just as they were before. You over there and me over here. You can thank your boss for the fact that you're now stuck here with a mudblood. This Hell on Earth is his doing, after all."

"First of all," Draco said, "let me make some corrections to your speech. He is behind this, yes, but he is not my boss."

She laughed before taking another bite.

"Second of all, I'm not stuck here. I can leave whenev-"

"Then leave," she interuppted.

Draco stopped, "I can leave."

"So you said. Go on, then."

"Fine, I'll go."

"Bye," she said between bites.

He forcrfully scooted back in his chair which screeched loudly on the tile. Leaving the can of food untouched on the table, he walked to the front door. She did not follow.

"See you around, Granger."

"Or not," she called from the kitchen.

Draco jerked open the door and came face to face with a Flesh Eater. It was a young woman. Her dark hair was matted with mud, her teeth were bloodied, and her eyes completely vacant. She reached for him with dirty hands.

"Fuck!"

He scrambled for his wand, backing up as she got closer, he tried to push the door shut, but caught his foot in a throw rug and fell. The Flesh Eater tripped over the threshold and fell on top of him.

"Fuck," he said again through gritted teeth as he kept it's head at bay with one hand, still scrabbling for his wand with the other.

It snapped it's teeth in the direction of his wrist which was just out of reach as he tried to keep him palm firmly planted on it's forhead. It was slick with rain and muck.

Just as his hand brushed his wand, he heard the sharp swish of a blade, and the Flesh Eater went limp on top of him.

Granger extracted her knife from the top of it's head. Draco, who was still holding it's face away from his, felt something trickle over his hand.

He pushed it off of him and got to his feet, wiping his palm on his pants in disgust.

"So," she crossed her arms, "what was third of all?"

"Piss off, Granger."

"That's no way to say thank you. Honestly, how have you even survived this long?"

"I do fine on my own. You have me distracted."

"If saving your life is distracting, then I'm guilty.

"You're something all right," Draco mumbled, as he pointed his wand at the corpse.

"What exactly am I? A bitch? A cunt? A mudblood?"

"For fucks sake, Granger! What the bloody hell is wrong with you."

"I just don't have time for your games. Allow me to make myself clear. You're opinion of me means nothing. This," she gestured the corpse at his feet, "this is reality now. Surviving is all there is. Nothing else matters anymore."

Draco stood there looking at her. In that moment, despite the grime on her skin and bloody knife in her hand, she looked no different than he remembered. Haughty, stubborn, chin jutted out and arms crossed defiantly. Granger had not changed, she just adapted.

"Now finish up and close the door," she demaned. "All your squeeling has attracted more.

She disappeared back into the kitchen. Draco turned around and saw movement in the distance. He levitated the corpse into the yard and locked the door once more.


	3. THREE

Waking up the next morning with no clue what time it was, Draco opened his eyes. The light through the blinds was dim and grey. Exhaustion had put him to sleep early last night. He'd slept in a bedroom adjacent from the one Granger occupied and had rested some despite everything.

At least he was no longer burdened by dreams. If there was anything his Aunt Bellatrix had ever done for him that was good, it was all those Occlumency lessons she'd given him the Summer before his sixth year. He had learned not only how to protect his mind from others, but from himself as well. With some effort, he could organize his thoughts and tuck certain things away during his waking hours while also keeping dreams and nightmares at bay.

With the death of his parents, all that time the Dark Lord had spent not only inside Draco's home but inside his mind, and the state of things now, he knew he would never be able to sleep at all if he still dreamt.

Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he stretched his arms and ran his hands through his hair which was longer than he liked, and always unkempt. Just one more thing that had lost priority over time. A clock on the desk beside him read a quarter past seven. He wondered if Granger was already awake.

After he decided to stay last night, they had not spoken. They stayed out each other's way and retired to their borrowed bedrooms early.

Walking into the hall, he realized how quiet the house was now. The rain that had helped lull him to sleep had ceased. The door of the room where Granger slept was left partially open. He edged close enough to peer inside.

This room was darker than his. She had the thick curtains drawn. He pushed the door open a bit further, trying to see. She was asleep on top of the bed covers, still fully dressed, shoes and all.

Draco started to back out of the room, but in that moment she mumbled. Her hand clutched at the blanket.

"Granger," he called lightly.

She did not respond to him, but whined in her sleep. He thought he heard her say "no". Her head rolled restlessly on it's pillow.

Obviously, unlike him, Granger was plagued by dreams, nightmares to be exact. Draco felt a faint sense of pity for her. He moved slowly into the room.

In the dimness he could just barely see her eyes moving behind their lids. He stood there debating, unsure whether or not he should wake her, but the next word out of her mouth made up his mind.

"Please," she murmered.

As gently as he could, he leaned on the mattress and softly called her name.

She did not acknowledge him.

He bounced the mattress lightly, but nothing. Tentatively, he reached for her arm. He made contact, but before he could call her name again, her eyes snapped open and her hand immediately found his throat.

Instinctively, he grabbed her by the wrist and used his other hand the peel her fingers away. She used her other hand to take hold of his wrist.

"Stop! Granger, it's me! It's Draco!"

Her eyes were still glassy and wide, but her grip slackened. Breathing rapidly, she sat up. Then without warning, she pushed him hard on the chest.

"Draco, you prick! Don't sneak up on me like that, you startled me!"

"Startled? You nearly strangled me!"

She glared at him, then shook her head.

He noticed that upon waking, her hair was even more wild than usual. Her face was shiny with perspiration, probably caused by her adrenaline fueled nightmare, but it was also very stuffy with all the windows shut tight.

She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against them. When she opened them again, she apparently had hoped he would have disappeared.

"Get out, Draco! I've got to use the lou."

Under a minute and she was already pissed at him, that must be record time.

He left the her alone and occupied the other lavatory, washing his hands and arms, splashing water on his face. He wanted to brush his teeth, oral hygiene had always been very important to him, but he couldn't bare the thought of using a stranger's even if he scourgified it. Instead, he transfigured a clean cotton swab into a new toothbrush. Decent, but Transfiguration had never been his strongest subject.

As he brushed, he stole a glance in the mirror even though he had spent a long time avoiding them. The dark shadows under his eyes were especially dramatic in the dim morning light. His cheekbones were more gaunt than aristocratic these days and he appeared even paler than usual. He no longer recognized himself.

Using his fingers to smooth out his hair, then tapping his clothes with his wand until the wrinkles disappeared, Draco decided it was in his best interest to continue avoiding mirrors.

Feeling only slightly less grimey, he made his way down to the kitchen. While waiting on Granger, he checked the cupboards and removed some decent looking options for breakfast. He took a peek out the window over the basin and noticed a lone Flesh Eater staggering through the back yard of a neighboring house.

"Have you already eaten?"

Draco jumped, letting the curtain fall closed.

"Blimey, Granger," he snapped.

"Sorry, I never realized how easily you scare."

Draco gritted his teeth but chose to not acknowledge her dig.

"No, I've not yet eaten."

She lit the stove without needing to use her wand, and filled a silver kettle under the tap. Jerking open a cupboard door, she began hastily removing dishes, slamming each one onto the table harder than necessary.

"Do you suppose you're making enough noise? I can open a window, if you're worried they can't here you clearly enough."

"They can't hear me. I added a muffling charm when I put the wards up last night. Checked them before I came down. They're still intact and should remain so as long as all the doors and windows remain sealed."

Draco also chose to not acknowledge that this was a rather smart move.

"We should continue on today," she said.

"Continue on?"

"Have you grown attached to this old house already?"

"For Merlin's sake, have you always been this snide? I just meant what's the hurry? We've not even set a destination."

"Wrong. You haven't set a destination."

"And you have?"

"Yes."

Draco waited but she did not elaborate.

"Well where is it then?"

She opened a canister of oats in silence.

"You're not going to tell me?"

She dumped dry oats into a bowl.

"Damnit, Granger, don't ignore me!"

"I've known from the start where I'm going. Nothing changed just because you showed up."

"Then why the fuck should I be here if you're just out to save yourself?"

"You know all about saving yourself, don't you?"

She said it coolly, but he could hear the thinly veiled malice in her voice.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

She stared him straight in the eye but did not answer.

"Tell me what the fuck you meant by that."

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't think I do, so explain."

"How have you made it this far?"

"Don't change the subject. I asked-"

"You made it by saving yourself," she interrupted .

"Well, the same applies to you then."

She smirked. It unnerved Draco more than it should've.

"I didn't run," she said. "I didn't leave anyone behind. I was ready to die fighting at the battle. I was ready to die fighting to save what friends I had left from those monsters-"

"Oh how noble, how very Gryffindor- no, how very Granger of you."

"Saving yourself, how very Slytherin of you."

Draco's fist tightened. He clenched his jaw, trying to keep his temper under control, but she continued.

"My point is," she continued, "I'm not just running to save myself, and I'm certainly not running from a mess I created."

"Are you insinuating that I made this happen? That this is what I wanted? Do you think I'm solely responsible for this fucking mess?"

"I'm not referring to 'this'," she said.

Draco's spine stiffened. He narrowed his eyes, daring her say it.

"Then what _are_ you referring to?" he asked, his voice threatening to quiver with rage.

She crossed her leg, then her arms and said "the battle."

The chair screached on the floor as Draco rose. She remained sitting, unflinching.

"Spit it out Granger! Whatever you're getting at! The battle is my fault, is that it? I caused it all by my fucking self, yeah?"

"You led the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and Dumbledore died as a result of it."

"Why," he said through gritted teeth, "don't you tell me something I don't know."

"At the battle, when it looked like your side was going to lose, you tried to run. I saw you."

"What do you think you saw?"

"You, heading toward your parents. You were going to leave. I know it."

"You're fucking right I was going to leave, I would have. But I didn't, did I? Do you know why?"

"Because you're parents were killed," she said matter-of-factly.

The blood and adrenaline pumping through his veins burned like acid. His vision was distorted in anger, everything was blurred, everything except her sitting there smugly.

"How dare you speak about my-"

"Remember that time you joked about Harry's parent being dead? Now Harry is dead, just like his parents, and just like yours."

Draco stood there, frozen, rage and guilt and hatred coursing through his paralyzed body like electricity. His hand twitched, aching to grab his wand, to point it at her, to shut her up. He didn't want to hear it, he already knew-

"It was your fault."

Draco came unglued. He picked up the empty mug and threw it with all his might. It smashed through the kitchen window, the sound of breaking glass and pounding blood filled his ears. He kicked over the spindly legged table, her bowl of oats went flying before crashing to the ground. The tea kettle let out a shrill whistle.

Granger got calmly to her feet. Her mouth was moving, he could not hear her.

She removed the tea kettle. It fell silent. Broken glass crunched under her shoes as she walked. Movement caught his eye, then he heard the rattling breath.

The Flesh Eater's head was barely visible over the windowsill. It's arms reached through the broken glass, careless as jagged shards tore open it's rotting skin.

Granger took out her knife. It's hands latched onto her arm, pulling her closer. She took the knife with her other hand and plunged it through it's eye socket. It's grip slackened, and when she removed her knife if fell from sight.

"There's more coming. The broken window deactivated the muffling charm."

She pointed her wand at the window. "Repairo!"

All the scattered glass pieced back together like a puzzle until the window was once again whole.

Granger left the room. He could hear her rumaging around, but he did not move. His heart was still pounding, but his rage was deflating, replaced with something much worse; shame.

She returned to the kitchen, stuffing something large into her tiny bag. Her arm disappeared much farther into it than it should have.

"Let's go," she said.

"What?"

"There's no sense it waiting until the house is surrounded. Nothing left for us here. Let's go."

"No."

She stopped. "Don't be thick, Draco."

"I'm not going with you. I'm better off on my own."

"You're being stupid."

"You were wrong."

"About what?"

"You and I being on the same side. We never were, and never will be even if we're the last living people on Earth."

"Don't you get it? That doesn't matter anymore."

"It matters to me."

"Draco-"

A hand slammed against the newly repaired kitchen window. Another Flesh Eater had appeared. He knew she was right. More would be there soon.

"Come on," she said, more gentle this time. The hostility had somehow melted away.

"No," he said firmly. "I know you didn't leave your friends behind, but I'm not your friend, so stop acting like such a fucking Gryffindor and go without me."

"Do you know where my parents are?"

The question caught him off guard.

"What? No," he said.

"Yeah, neither do I. Last year I wiped their memories of me clean and moved them to a safe location, hoping one day I could come back for them, find them. Now I don't know if they're alive or dead. I don't know how far this has spread. I don't know that I'll live to find out, and that's my fault. I left them behind because I had to. To save them, to save myself, to save my world. Our world. Now all of it is gone. None of that matters anymore, like it was all for nothing. Don't you get it, Draco? All that's left is survival."

He stared at her. Now that some of her attitude has dissipated, he could see past the tough facade she tried to uphold. Now he saw what she really was; alone. Just like him.

Scratching sounds on the glass made both their heads turn. Two more Flesh Eaters crowded at the window. Something also thudded at the back door.

"Draco," he looked back to find her staring up into his eyes, "just come with me."

He looked from her to the shadows lurking on the otherside of the door's opaque glass. He closed his eyes amd took a deep breath.

"Well what choice do I have, really?"

She didn't wait any longer than that, and immediately headed to the front door where she looked the peep hole.

"They're right outside, four from what I can see here," she informed him.

She then went to the window at the side of the room and peered through the curtains.

"If we can climb out here quietly enough, maybe they won't follow. Are you ready?"

His wand was in his pocket. That and the clothes on his back were his only possessions. He was as ready as he could ever be.

Granger unlatched the window and lifted the pane. Slinging one leg carefully over, she hoisted herself through, looking back to see if he was following.

Draco went to the window and she held it open as he climbed through. He almost made it but his foot caught and he stumbled the rest of the way out, bumping Granger. She lost hold of the window and it slammed shut.

"Draco, you idiot!"

"Like I did it on purpose!"

"Well come on, we're going to have to run now!"

As she said it, Flesh Eaters began to emerge from the front of the house. He could tell by the way she looked past him that they were coming from behind as well. He turned to check anyway, and sure enough, two were sluggishly making their way toward them. He turned back in time to see Granger take off diagonally. She was quite swift on her feet, much faster than he ever expected.

Draco followed, stealing glances over his shoulder. They continued to pursue, but were no match in speed. She darted down an alley.

"I've got an idea," she said, slowing her pace a bit to read the street signs.

"Yeah? What is it then?"

"There's a supermarket a few blocks East. We should stop there to fetch some supplies, if it hasn't yet been picked clean."

"You mean food?"

"Yes, but it has other things also," she said.

"What could a muggle market possibly have that we need?"

"Medicine, weapons, hygiene products.."

"Like tooth brushes?" Draco asked.

"Yes," she said, raising an eyebrow, "like tooth brushes."

He very much liked the idea of his own real tooth brush.

"Come on, before they catch up."

They passed a few stray Flesh Eaters along the way, but arrived unscathed to a wide brick building. The large letters mounted on a sign overhead read Grime's Marketplace, though the "e" in Grimes was hang precariously.

They crossed the large lot to the glass door entryway. Granger cuffed her hands around her eyes and put her face up to the glass.

"It's definitely been picked through, but it looks like there's still some things left. I don't see any movement."

She looked down at the springy black mat they were standing on, then back at the door.

"No power, of course," she said, which meant nothing to Draco.

She pointed her wand and the doors slid open. Once they were in, he closed them.

The further they got from the entryway, the darker it got.

"Lumos," Draco said.

Granger did not light her wand. Instead she opened her tiny bag and plunged her arm in elbow deep. It reamerged clutching some silver object. She clicked it, and a ball of light shot from it. It loomed overhead, illuminating a large surrounding area.

"What is that?"

"A gift. From Dumbledore."

"Why did Dumbledore give you that?"

"He didn't."

Draco didn't bother with a follow up question. Instead he moved between the tall shelves that stood in parallel rows. Some were empty, some just disheveled with an assortment of items, most of which Draco didn't recognize.

Something behind them clicked loudly. Draco jumped at the noise, Granger froze. He started to turn around, but an unfamiliar voice made him stop.

"Don't move," it said.

Draco's obeyed, but his grip on his wand tighted. Granger spoke up first.

"Please," she said, "we're not dangerous."

"Sure y'aren't. Neither were them scavengers who damn near cleaned me out, an' those dead folks walkin' round out there's gentle as lambs, eh?"

"Really," she said in a steady voice, "we didn't know anyone was in here. We were just trying to gather some supplies, but if you let us go we'll be on our way."

"Jus gathering supplies, course yeh were. Listen, I don't know how yeh got them lights up in the air either, but I've seen stranger things these past days, so my only concern is getting yeh both outta here. There's nothin' fer yeh here. Leave your weapons, too."

Draco moved only his eyes to look over at Granger. She was gripping her knife, but her wand was out of sight.

"Put it on the ground girly," the voice said.

She dropped the knife onto the tile floor.

"You can keep yer stick, boy, if that's the best you got. Pretty pitiful if you ask me. Now turn around, real slow."

Draco looked over at Granger again. She nodded, and turned slowly. Draco followed suit and turned around only to find himself staring down a long metal tube. At the other end of it was a gruff looking man, one eye shut and the other squinted looking down the cyllander at him.

"Now, go back out the way you ca-"

"Stupefy!" Granger yelled.

The man froze, then fell.

Draco didn't know how she had drawn her wand so quickly, but he didn't care. She bent down and took his weapon.

"I'm holding onto this for now, in case je he should he wake up, but we won't keep it. He needs it more than we do."

Draco didn't argue. The weapon looked complicated and menacing. He much preferred his wand.

"Now leave him there while we gather supplies. Take anything that might be useful. Medicine, canned food, water. Grab a buggy if you need one."

Wasting no time, she disappeared down an aisle. Draco found a buggy nearby and began scanning the shelves. He found a few cans of tuna and a bottle labeled pain reliever. On the floor was dented box labeled cloth bandages, so put those in the buggy as well. His spirits lifted a bit upon finding a couple of toothbrushes among a pile of mismatched items. He took both. It was always good to have a back up, after all.

After about 10 minutes of looking around, he heard her calling his name.

"I'm over here," he answered.

She appeared at the end of his aisle carrying her tiny big and the confiscated weapon.

"Let's see what you found," she said, looking into the buggy. "Not bad. We can definitely use most of this."

Draco watched as she removed items and shoved them into her bag.

"You forgot these," he said, reaching for the cans of tuna.

"Leave them, that's for cats."

Looking closer, he noticed there was infact a picture of a furry, white feline on the label.

"Oh, who knows," she said, stuffing them into the bag as well, "times are bound to get desperate."

Draco didn't like the thought of resorting to cat food for nourishment, but then again he had endured worse things.

"That's probably all we're going to get out of here. I'm going to find the lou before head out. Hold this," she said, handing Draco the man's weapon, "and make sure you don't pull that trigger. We'll leave it in plain sight for him before we go. Meet you at the front door in a minute."

Draco held the weapon delicately with both hands. It made him uncomfortable. He left the now empty buggy and found his way back to the front of the store.

That's where he noticed something was off. The doors they had came through were partially open though he distinctly remembered pulling them closed. Locking then however..

His stomach sank. Looking around, he scanned for signs of movement. He shut then back before going to look around. He peered around corners of aisles, treading lightly and listening carefully. That when he heard it, very faintly; the familiar, vile sound.

Draco followed it, holding the weapon in one hand and his wand in the other. Granger's orbs of lights were still hovering near the ceiling, casting ominous shadows as they bobbed.

Footsteps near by made him stop walking, then her voice made his heart stop beating.

"No!" she screamed.

Without thinking, he ran to the end of the aisle and over one, following her voice.

Draco stopped dead in his tracks. There were no proper words to express the scene before him.

The man was still stupified on the floor where they had left him, except now his stomach was torn open with gore spilling out over the torn edges of his skin. A Flesh Eater on all fours beside him with blood dripping down it's chin was now focused on Granger, who was only steps away with her knife poised.

With keen percision, she sank her knife into it's temple. It's body went limp, hitting the floor with a dull thud once she removed the blade.

Draco was now standing beside her. It was impossible to not look at the man. The inside of his abdomen was partially devoured, red was blooming across his shirt and trousers, his eyes stared unmoving at the ceiling.

"Is he still alive?" Draco's voice sounded distant to his own ears.

Granger did not answer. He tore his eyes away from the man to look at her.

Her complexion was that of a ghost, tinged with bits if blue as if she'd gone to long without air. Her eyes were horrorstruck and brimming with tears. Slowly, she crouched down and placed her hand on the man's wrist. Her face contorted and she let out a desperate gasp for air.

"I'm so sorry," she said in the smallest voice.

Standing up, she pointed her wand at the man's chest.

At first Draco couldn't imagine what spell she was going to use to try and save him, but he realized as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up just a split second before the jet of green light erupted from her wand.

Draco was no longer transfixed on the man, but on her. She sank to one knee and covered her face with her hands, finding a moment of privacy behind them, but when she reemerged her eyes were dry. Red, but dry. Gently, she used her fingers to close the man's eyelids, then pushed her blade into his ear.

"I suppose there's no reason to leave the gun now," she said as she stood back up. "He doesn't need it anymore."

Grabbing the weapon from Draco's hands, she headed back toward the front of the store. It took him a few seconds to find his footing before he could follow, feeling as if a fog had settled in his mind, slowing his movements.

It wasn't until later that night after a long day of walking, as he lay there trying to sleep in the house Granger had selected for them, that Draco really processed what had happened.

The man had been eaten alive as he lay paralyzed by her spell. Granger had put him out of his misery as gently as possible. It was the first time Draco had seen the killing curse used mercifully. It was certainly less cruel than shoving the knife into his brain as his dying eyes stared helplessly up at her.

He remembered her words from when she had put Theo down, how it was the merciful way. There was no saving that man. He would have succumbed to his injuries and turned after death. His corpse would have roamed the Earth alongside the other Flesh Eaters.

She was right. It was better this way.

She had hardly spoken since they left the store. They had walked in silence until the sun began to disappear and she suggested a house to rest in.

As they sat at a stangers dining room table and she stared into her plate of untouched food, Draco told her it wasn't her fault. She responded by standing up and leaving the room without a word. He heard the bedroom door shut and knew he wouldn't see her again until morning.

She needed to be left alone with her guilt, giving him no choice but to be left alone with his.


	4. FOUR

An entire day had came and went, and Granger had not yet suggested leaving the house they currently occupied. In fact, she had hardly come out of the bedroom.

It was nearly noon the next day and Draco had not yet seen her. He decided it best to check on her. She answered his knock with a short "yes?" which he took as permission to open the door.

She sat cross legged on the bed surrounded by her belongings as if she was taking inventory, and did not look up when he entered. A few stacks of clothes, some potion bottles, more books than necessary, and a single galleon were among the many items spread out across the bed. Magic or not, Draco was amazed she managed to keep so much in her tiny bag which sat deflated looking in her lap.

"I've brought you a cup of tea," he said.

"Set it on the nightstand."

Carefully he carried the steaming cup and set it down as requested, lingering a few seconds longer than necessary incase she planned on speaking again. He noticed a photograph of a man and woman laying among her piles of stuff, one that must be a muggle photo as it's subjects remained immobile. With an abrupt feeling of intrusiveness, he realized it was likely the peopke shown were her parents. In fact, the similarities between some of their features and Granger's were now obvious.

She must have noticed him looking, because she dismissed him with a simple "thanks for the tea."

As he began pulling the door closed behind him she spoke again.

"Be ready, we'll leave in an hour."

"Right," Draco said, leaving her alone once more.

An hour later, almost down to the minute, she ascended the stairs with her small bag over one shoulder and the gun resting on the other. Her curls were secured in a messy knot on top of her head, and tied mid way up her caves were a pair of leather boots that perhaps she knicked from a closet upstairs.

Draco stood waiting, hands in his pockets, at the bottom by the door.

"We need to acquire more weapons," she said when she reached the bottom.

Draco nodded. "Where shall we look?"

"We'll scavenge from where we can. There's bound to be discarded guns and other things along the way."

"On the way to where we're going?"

"Yes."

"Which is.. where?"

She adjusted her shirt but didn't answer.

It would take some getting used to, Granger being a woman of such few words. The girl he had gone to school with was often breathless from her constant chatter, be it answering questions, correcting someone, or just bossing people in general. That Granger was gone now.

She reached past him and opened the door. Draco took a final glance at the house, one that meant nothing to him. He couldn't imagine ever settling anywhere, couldn't imagine a place that would ever feel like home.

Granger walked silently beside him with her jaw set and her gaze focused. Draco wondered if it really made a difference to her whether he was there or not.

"Up ahead," she said.

Draco looked. A few Flesh Eaters were huddled together on their knees, feasting on something- someone on the ground who appeared to be putting up no fight.

"If we move quietly they may not notice. It's too late to save whoever that is," she said.

The coldness in her voice would take some getting used to as well.

As they moved quietly past, Draco tried not to look at the victim on the ground. There was no doubt they were dead by now, but that did little to ease the bubble of guilt forming in his stomach for going on without intervening.

It was a long time before either of them spoke again. Draco merely pointed at a stray Flesh Eater looming in an alley. He cursed lightly under his breath when Granger abruptly changed direction and he nearly tripped over himself trying turn. He commented vaguely on how hot out it was today, which only earned him an annoyed side eye from her. She did however remove a jug of water from her bag not long after that and passed it to him. He drank and instantly felt a bit better.

She stopped once to retrieve something from a grassy yard. It was a long wooden thing not unlike what the Beaters used in Quidditch. She held it out for him to take, and he did. "Baseball bat" was all she said.

Further along the way she spotted a weapon abandoned next to a red stain on the sidewalk. She examined it, shifted something and muttered "no bullets", then tucked it into her bag anyway.

The next find was Draco's, though it wasn't weapons. He had pointed out an apple tree and suggested they pick some. Granger pointed her wand and the tree branches began to shake, spilling apples onto the ground. As they gathered them Granger stuffed them one by one into her bag.

They ate apples as they walked. Draco wondered how far they had actually made it. The sun was getting low and he knew she was scoping out houses to settle in for the night.

He was chewing the last bites of his third apple when she threw out an arm to stop him from walking. Swallowing the mouthful, he looked around. In the absense of the chewing sounds, he was now able to hear it.

There had to be a lot of them, judging by the volume. The street they were currently travelling was a narrow one with houses packed tightly together. It was difficult to tell where exactly the noise was coming from.

Discarding his apple core, he gripped his wand as they moved cautiously forward. The loudness increased with each step, it seemed. When they reached a crossing, Granger jabbed him in the arm and pointed.

The outside of brick building was swarming with Flesh Eaters enclosed behind a tall chain length fence. Dozens. Many stood swaying on the spot, others were pressed up against the fence, their arms protruding and fingers grasping at air.

"A school," Granger spoke up.

"School?" Draco repeated. It looked nothing like a school to him.

"They probably used it as a safe house, looks like mostly adults. Must have been an outbreak after they locked the gates."

Draco took a few steps onward, but Granger remained stationary, staring at the so called school.

"What's the matter?"

"There's a sign," she said.

"A sign? Where?"

"There, in that window."

He squinted in the direction she pointed until his eyes fell on it, large red letters taking up the length of an entire window.

"H-E-L-P" the letters spelled.

She was getting further from where he remained standing, giving him the uncomfortable suspicion they were not just going to continue on their way.

"That's a shame," he said mostly to himself as she was nearly out of earshot.

Only a few paces remained between her and the fence where more Flesh Eaters were beginning to notice her presence. The ones closest to her were pushing more eagerly against the barrier. Reluctantly, Draco abandoned their path to follow her.

"What are you thinking, Granger?"

"I'm going in," she said plainly.

"You're joking."

"Not joking."

"I'm not going in there."

"I didn't ask you to."

Draco groaned as she pulled her knife out and began sizing up her oppenants.

"This is absurd," he said, running his hand through his hair. "You're going to get yourself killed for nothing."

"Someone needs help."

"That sign could be from days ago! Look at this place, there's probably no survivors left."

She stuck her knife between the fence and straight into the head of the nearest Flesh Eater, which dropped to the ground.

"C'mon, Granger," he said, looking around for something to pursuade her away from the situation.

Still she continued on, knifing one after another as they approached the fence. Her blade stuck in the skull of one. As she struggled to pull it out, others began crowding the fence which was becoming more strained with each passing second.

"Fuck," Draco muttered, defeated.

He pulled out the knife she had given him and began putting down the ones in reach. She unstuck hers and methodically continued on.

One by one they slowly thinned out the mass. She worked much faster, swifter. She always did have thing for outperforming him, at least that hadn't changed. It took the better part of 20 minutes and some loud coaxing from Granger to get the last remaining few to approach, but they finally eliminated them all. Heaps of bodies lined the bottom of the fence.

Draco wiped sweat from his brow with his forearm. His hands and wrists were flecked with blood. Granger's face was also shiny and blood speckled, though she made no effort to clean it. Instead she took out her wand.

"Alohamora," she said, aiming it at the lock.

Once the chains slid to the ground, she pulled the gate open, then pointed her wand at the gun and muttered "Silencio."

Pocketing her wand, she carried the gun with both hands and stepped through the gate.

"Put your knife away. The bat may be more effecient to keep them at a distance. Just be sure to hit them hard enough."

"Don't boss me, Granger," he said, but took put the knife away anyway.

Carefully, they stepped over corpses and made their way to the building. Draco gripped the bat, keeping his eyes peeled for movement. It was getting more difficult to see as the set.

As they approached, he knew this would be a fruitless effort. The heavy doors were closed tight, but he could hear the sounds beyond them. There were likely just as many inside, if not more than there had been outside.

"We should find another way in," he said.

"You're right."

He raised his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and left his side to look in the nearest window.

"There's chairs and furniture stacked against these but it sounds like more Flesh Eaters."

She went to check the next one, then the next after that. Draco followed. Above their heads on the third story was the window with the sign. She stared up at it.

"I'm going to apparate in there," she said.

"The hell you are."

"It's the easiest way-"

"It's the dumbest way!" Draco snapped. "Honestly, you're brighter than that, aren't you? If apparating was safe we'd have been doing it all along. There's no telling what's in there!"

"What's in there is someone needing help," she said stubbornly.

"There's a better way."

"What way is that?"

Draco rocked on his feet, scanning the the outside of the building.

"I don't know," he said.

"Right, looks like it's my way then."

Draco grabbed her arm as she raised her wand, earning himself a most reproachful glare.

"I won't allow this, Granger. It's beyond foolish. Even if there _is_ someone in there, are they worth getting yourself killed for?"

"Funny, Ron asked Harry the same thing when we went back for you that time the Room of Requirment caught fire."

Stunned, Draco let go of her arm, but before he could respond or even wipe the look from his face, she disapparated.

"Oh for fucks sake!"

He looked overhead, braced himself, and disapparated.

His eyes were squeezed tight when his feet hit the floor, but the room was quiet and that was a good sign. Relaxing his tense muscles, he opened his eyes though it looked no different from when they were shut.

"Lumos."

Backwards letters were painted on the windows. Empty chairs were pushed to one side of the room. He turned around and spotted Granger standing at a corner with her back to him, looking down at something illuminated by her own wand light.

"Hey," he called out to her quietly.

When she turned around, Draco saw the red splatters on the wall. Slumped below it with a hole in their head and a gun in their hand was a man.

Draco didn't dare utter a word about being right. It was not a triumphant feeling.

She reached down and took the weapon from the dead man's hands. Something loud on the other side of the room made Draco jump. Something was on the other side of the door, attempting to get in. A large wooden desk and metal cabinet were pressed up against it.

"C'mon," he said, "Let's get out of here."

The rattling got louder.

"I need to sit down for a moment first."

"Now?" Draco asked.

Her leg jerked, threatening to give out.

"Alright, alright, hang on," he urged, grabbing a chair from the stack.

She sat down, bowing her head low over her knees.

"Was it apparating?" Draco asked.

She shook her head. The rattling got louder.

"You should drink something. The bottle, from your bag."

She didn't move.

Testing the waters, Draco reached for the bag draped around her shoulders. She did not resist at he tugged on it.

Opening it, he plunged his arm in up to his shoulder, feeling around. His hand found several objects he couldn't identify but not the bottle.

"Merlin. Accio bottle," he said as he should have in the first place.

Shoving it into her hands, he looked over his shoulder where the door continued to rattle violently. He could see how one would be driven mad by the anticipation of it. He tried not the think of the man slumped in the corner.

"Drink, Granger. We need to get out of here."

She didn't move.

Draco shook her shoulder, then lifted her face. She stared blankly up at him, his wand light reflecting in her glassy eyes.

He took the bottle back and put it up to her lips, tilting her head back further. She drank. The door rattled.

"Okay, up we go now. Let's get out of here."

Coaxing her up by her elbow, he supported her weight. Her wand pointed uselessly at the the grimey floor. He noticed now there were standing in a pool of dried blood.

He knew he was going to have to apparate the both of them. It was not going to be easy, but what other choice was there?

"Ready?"

She did not answer, but did not let go. Draco clutched his wand in one hand and the bat in the other.

"Hold onto me. Here we go."

For a second they were squeezed together through the black vaccum-like void, then they were back outside in the grass on their knees.

The few minutes they had been inside was enough for the sun to disappear completely. It was not good to be out after dark.

Before he could even get to his feet, Draco realized they weren't alone. Several Flesh Eaters were coming through the open gate and heading right for them.

"Up, get up, Granger! Hurry!"

He stood up and pulled her to her feet. She swayed slightly but held tight to his hand. There was too much to hold on to, so he put his still lit wand between his teeth, kept a firm hold on the bat, and pulled her by the hand as they began to move.

They weaved between the oncoming Flesh Eaters. One got too close. He jabbed it hard with the bat, knocking it clean off its feet. They were almost to the gate, but he could see more in the distance.

"Which way?" Draco said out loud, recieving no answer.

He was tempted to go back the way they came, where there had been rows of houses, but that seemed to be the direction from where most of them were coming. Perhaps they had been following all along. They needed to find shelter for the night quickly. Granger was at least managing to keep up with the pace at which he pulled her.

They dodged a rather large Flesh Eater and sprinted down an alley. Upon making a sharp turn they came face to face with two more. Something about the darkness really stirred them up. Draco let go of Granger's hand and grabbed his wand.

"Protego!"

The two Flesh Eaters were knocked to the ground by the force of the spell. He took her by the hand once more and they continued on.

Reluctant to stop anywhere the Flesh Eaters seemed to be lurking, they continued on another two blocks but he could tell Granger was slowing down.

The next house in sight was a tiny shack on the corner, and it would have to do unless he wanted to end up carrying her the rest of the way.

They were almost there when Draco felt Granger jerk and come to a stop. Turning around, he illuminated his wand to check what she had gotten herself tangled up in. Instead he saw a rotting hand wrapped around her ankle. A Flesh Eater was on the ground, half hidden from the shrubbery. It was pulling itself closer to her, teeth snapping hungrily.

Draco didn't wait to see if she would aim her wand. Instead he wrapped both hands firmly around the bat and came crashing down on the Flesh Eater's skull.

The sound it made was sickening, yet Granger didn't seem fazed. Once she was free of it's grasp, Draco all but dragged her the rest of the way to the little shack, keeping her close as he opened the door and checked the interior. There was only one floor and all appeared to be quiet. With a relieved sigh, he shut and locked the behind them. They had made it through another day, somehow.

After removing her boots and putting her into the bed, the only one in the tiny house, Draco stood in the doorway for a long time, watching. Granger was not well, that much was clear. The current state of things was weighing on her mentally, as it did him and would anyone else as well, but the way her moods shifted abruptly concerned him. He feared if something didn't change for the better, she may crack sooner rather than later.

For now, it was just a matter of keeping her from reaching that breaking point.

He wasn't sure whether or not she was actually asleep, but her eyes were closed and she lay quietly still. He hoped no nightmares woke her tonight and made a mental note to try and gather ingredients for a dreamless sleep potion. Blowing out the candle at her bedside, he left the bedroom door open and stretched out on the sofa in the next room. He fell asleep counting her breaths, the only sound filling the silence.


	5. FIVE

"Come on, Granger. You have to get up."

Draco stood at her bedside holding a tea tray on which sat a pitiful looking meal consisting of bread, which he'd had to magic some of the mold from, sliced apples and a glass of water.

Granger opened one eye and closed it again, rolling over until her back was to him.

"Ignoring me won't make me go away, you know."

"I'm tired," she mumbled.

"I know, that's why you have to eat something to get your strength up so we can get out of here. We can't stay much longer. The cupboards are damn near bare, and I've noticed more of _them_ looming outside than before. It's been three days!"

The truth was Draco was going stir crazy in the tiny shack. He would rather be out walking and taking a chance with the Flesh Eaters than staying here doing nothing any longer. His back ached from the sofa he slept on, and he had woken up before dawn this morning to the sound of scratching at the door. Luckily, after not so much as breathing for what felt like an eternity, Draco sighed in relief as it stopped, but he didn't want to wait around for more Flesh Eaters to gather.

He set the tea tray on the dresser and walked around the bed so he could face her again.

"You can't stay in this bed forever."

"Can't I?" she responded without opening her eyes.

"Don't be stupid. We have to keep moving."

"What's the point?"

"Survival, right? That's what you said. Survival is all we have left."

"Exactly."

Frustrated with her cryptic form of communication, Draco pulled the covers back and took her by the arms to set her upright.

"Granger, for Merlin's sake, snap out of it! You can't seriously be giving up."

Her eyes were open now, but he saw no fight in them. She didn't bother to respond so he continued.

"What am I supposed to do? Leave you here?"

"I'll be fine," she said flatly.

"That's rubbish. I'm not leaving you, but I'm also not staying. We are going. _Together_."

Though her mouth remained closed, her eyes seemed to flicker a bit at the challenge in a way that seemed to say "make me".

So he did.

Draco pulled her up enough to sling her over his shoulder and carried her out of the bedroom. He knew it was working when she started resisting. Getting her fired up was the best thing he could do for her right now. Once he plopped her down feet first in the bathroom, she crossed her arms defiantly.

"Wash your face, bathe, whatever you have to do to perk up. Then come out and eat because it might be a long walk before our next meal. One way or the other we are leaving here within the hour."

She was still glaring at him when he pulled the door closed.

He wouldn't miss the tiny shack. It was by far the worst of the three residences they had occupied so far. Aside from the general discomfort of the sofa, the smell of mothballs, and the frilly decor that reminded him painfully of Professor Umbridge's office, he was driven nearly mad by Granger's disengagement there.

The little shack was 20 minutes or so behind them now. Since leaving Draco had tried in vain to engage her several times, but couldn't even pry a nod from her. He did get one mildly exasperated sigh, but only after a failed attempt at a joke about a centaur who walked into a bar.

He had promised himself he wasn't going to let her crack, and he was going to uphold that promise even if it meant carrying her through this. Luckily, she was at least walking on her own even if she remained utterly quiet as she did so.

They had come across very few Flesh Eaters, but were also finding themselves on more stretches of land without housing. Draco was unfamiliar with the area, and despite taking charge to get Granger back on her feet, he was still blindly following her lead as far as destination. Though it made him uneasy, he trusted she had a plan.

"Point me," she said, her first words in miles.

Balancing her wand on the palm of her hand, it spun around before coming to a wobbly stop. She eyed the direction in which it pointed, then began digging in her bag until she pulled out a map.

"We'll want to avoid the city. Somewhere that populated is bound to be crawling with them. I think we should cut through the woods."

Avoiding the woods sounded like a better idea to him. Surely it couldn't be as bad as the Forbidden Forest, but that was only mildly reassuring.

The houses were even fewer and farther between now. They came to a fork in the road, and Granger took the narrower of the two. It was not long before the houses disappeared completely and the trees began to thicken, making it darker and seem later in the day than it really was.

A wall of trees stood before them. Begrudgingly Draco walked alongside her as they became engulfed by staggering trunks. Soon the sky disappeared almost completely.

The woods were eerily quiet which only amplified the cracks of twigs beneath their feet, and the occasional flutter of wings over head. After suffering from days of quiet, Draco felt certain he may lose his mind before they made it out the other end.

"How deep do these go?" he asked, desperate to engage her in any sort of conversation.

"If I'm reading the map correctly, which I'm certain I am, it stretches over about 2 and a half miles. If we keep a brisk pace and don't make any wrong turns, it shouldn't take much more than an hour to get through."

An hour. After only a couple minutes he was already sore from the tension in his spine. Constantly looking around as they went, Draco gripped the bat in his left hand a bit tighter, keeping his wand at the ready in his right.

"How did you end up alone in that muggle town?"

His second attempt at communication failed. He hadn't really expected her to not answer, and she didn't. Instead she kept her eyes set straight ahead.

He tried a third time.

"Who were you travelling with before then?"

This time he noticed her glance at him in her peripheral.

"Was it Weasley?"

She looked dead at him this time, a scathing look that he swore penetrated his skin.

"What does it matter?" she snapped.

"I was just curious. You've made it this far, I wondered if you'd been alone from the start, or perhaps you got separated from a group."

"It's none of your business," she retorted half-heartedly.

They walked a bit further without any words between them. For some reason Draco felt compelled to keep trying.

"You know, that bloke back at the school, there's nothing you could have done."

"Yeah? I suppose there's nothing that could have been done at the market either, except maybe I could have not got that man killed."

"Merlin, Granger! Do you always blame yourself for everything? I know at Hogwarts you probably assumed it was your job as Potter's right hand woman-"

"Shut it, Malfoy."

"Whatever happens out here, there's only so much you can do. You're not going to be able to save everyone!"

"Just leave it, alright? I don't need this!"

"No," Draco stopped and took her by the arm. "You'll listen to me. It's not you're fault. Those men, _Potter_ , and whatever happened to whoever you were with when this nightmare started! It wasn't your fault!"

"That's just it! It _was_ my fault! It was absolutely and completely my fault!"

She was yelling, Draco had the urge to shush her as her voice echoed throughout the trees, but he didn't dare.

"It was because of me! He would still be here, but he isn't and it's all my fault. You don't understand, it should have been me!"

"Calm down, Granger, its alright-"

"I'm the one who suggested we go back for them. I'm the one who froze, and it was his- his-"

Her voice was cracking now. He could see the tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Stop, don't think about it! We have to keep moving. Just please keep walking."

She bent at the knees, her weapon hit the ground and her head collapsed into her hands.

"Fuck," Draco muttered, looking wildly around to make sure nothing dangerous was lurking in the shadows before crouching down next to her.

"Granger, please, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- I'm just sorry. But please, we can't stay here."

She was silent but her shoulders were shaking. Draco put his bat and wand down next to his feet and placed a hand on her back.

A muffled sound escaped her, and the trembling slowed. He rubbed soft circles over her shoulder blade and kept his voice light when he spoke.

"It's going to be fine, alright? Really it will. I know you've lost people, so have I, but you have to keep going."

She lifted her head and looked at him with red eyes and shiny cheeks.

"I just don't think I want to," she said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

Draco's stomach sank for her. He could have recognized it in her eyes even if she hadn't admitted out loud. How many times had he been where she was? Maybe he was still there now. Still he got up, and he took her by the hands to raise her up.

"Here's a secret, Granger," he said, brushing away wet streak from her cheekbone with his thumb, "sometimes I don't want to either. We just have to."

She dried her other cheek with her palm. The knees of her denims were dirty from the forest ground. Somehow she'd even managed to get a stray leaf tangled in her hair, so he removed it for her. It was difficult to see her so far from the person he remembered, no matter how much that person had unnerved him at the time.

"I'm sorry for who you've lost," he said quietly, "but you're not alone. I'm here with you."

She nodded without meeting his eyes.

"Come on," he said, picking up their weapons and wands.

He was happy to see her feet start moving again and was beyond eager to get them out of the forest.

After a bit more walking, Draco suggested she check the direction. Granger held her wand in her palm where it spun a few times before wobbling to a halt. She nodded to herself and continued on without a word, so he followed.

"Are we very far from where we're going?"

"Not far, the woods aren't that deep," she said.

"No, I mean do you plan on telling me where it is we're _going_?"

He noticed her glance at him from her peripheral.

"Yes," she said without elaborating.

"Right, so go ahead then."

"I didn't mean right now."

"Bloody hell," he laughed, "you're ridic-"

She slammed her hand over his mouth, bringing both of them to a halt.

Rustling in the leaves up ahead could be seen and now heard. Before Draco could react she took him by the arm and pulled him off the path, concealing them both behind a thick tree trunk.

He hoped it was a deer or some other harmless forrest dweller, but quickly he was disappointed. From behind the tree trunk they watched as two Flesh Eaters stalked into view. One's arm was bent in an unnatural direction and swinging wildly as it walked. The other dragged it's limp foot along behind it.

Hermione put her finger up to her lips but it was an unnecessary gesture. Draco knew it was imperative to keep quiet.

The Flesh Eaters continued walking, and almost passed where they stood, but a third Flesh Eater appeared from the same direction, and a fourth, then sounds of snapping twigs signaling that even more were approaching.

"A horde," she breathed, barely audible.

More movement, and then the sounds, footsteps and rattling breaths, it sounded like it was coming from all angles.

To his surprise she put her weapon down and began rummaging in her bag. He could see the urgency on her face, and kept his wand poised knowing the bat could only hold off so many at a time. He watched in horror as even more figures loomed in the spaces between trees.

At last Granger pulled something, a blanket maybe, from her bag. As she hastily unfolded it and Draco saw it was not a blanket, but a cloak made of fine, silvery material. Before he knew it she had pressed herself flush against him and draped the cloak over their heads.

Potter's invisibility cloak, she'd had it this whole time.

She had barely finished arranging it when the Flesh Eaters neared. The cloak was translucent enough to see through. Hardly daring to breath, Draco watched as several bodies moved past them, some only steps from where he and Granger stood. She stood so tightly against him that he could feel her heart beat against his ribs. With her cheek pressed against his chest she kept watch to the left, so he watched the right. They both gripped their wands.

It wasn't long before there were so many he couldn't count them all. One especially tall Flesh Eater came so close that Draco worried it might catch on the cloak and expose them. To his relief they remained concealed. Still, more Flesh Eaters continued to come and it now seemed he and Granger were in the thick of it. He felt her jerk when one knocked into their tree as it passed, but she did not make a sound.

A female Flesh Eater actually paused uncomfortably close to them as if it had caught a wiff of something in the air, the scent of their perspiration maybe? Draco had once read that fear could actually be smelled by certain creatures. He hoped to Merlin that wasn't true in this case.

Apparating was not an option, so instead Draco put his hands on Granger's hips and turned them so that her back was now pressed against the trunk of the tree, that way he was able to shield her front. She covered her mouth with her free hand to muffle the sound of the nervous breaths escaping it. After a few painfully nerve racking seconds, the Flesh Eater continued moving with the rest.

Several more minutes they stood silently, trapped, until finally it seemed the horde was beginning to thin. When most were out of hearing distance and it had been a full minute since the last few straggled by, Draco finally exhaled for what felt like the first time. They listened carefully before Granger slowly pulled the cloak off of them. As she peeled away from him, he noticed the fronts of both their shirts were damp with sweat from their shared body heat beneath the cloak.

"We need to move quickly," she whispered.

After retrieving the weapon that had remained at their feet and storing the cloak back in her bag, they began moving.

Their pace had increased significantly. Granger was panting a bit. They passed a Flesh Eater that had been left behind. It had gotten tangled in a mess of low branches and struggled to reach for them as they went by.

At last Draco could see pockets of sky overhead. The trees were becoming more sparse and he hoped they were almost out of the woods.

After a few more minutes they were standing in a clearing, catching their breath, and he didn't want to so much as look back at the darkened forest behind them.

"We'll want to avoid going the same direction they came from," he said.

"Obviously," she answered.

He rolled his eyes and took the bottle of water she was holding out to him.

After scanning the tracks through the dirt and grass, they determined the horde had come from the East. Draco looked over her shoulder as she consulted the map.

"We'll head North a bit," she said, folding it up. "It's a bit out of the way, but that's the safer option

Thick clouds hung above them making the bleak scenery even more dismal. He was happy to see this new direction lead them toward more residential areas. Being out in the open with no shelter in sight had felt far more dangerous.

The first neighborhood they came upon was not however what he had anticipated.

Part of the block they currently walked including several of the houses looked to have been subject to a sort of explosion. Broken sidewalks, blackened trees and the charred remains of crumbling houses stood solemnly against a stark grey sky.

"Oh," he heard the quiet exclamation come from Granger.

He looked over and saw what she saw. A pile of burnt bodies in the yard of what probably used to be a charming home before it's demise.

He noticed the quickening in her step. He did not much like it here either. It was far more grim than what they had encountered so far.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

Draco listened hard. He did hear that.

Screams.

They were faint, but they were definitely screams. Before Draco could process it, Granger had sped off in the direction of the cries. Gritting his teeth at her impulsiveness, Draco hurried after her.

It was getting louder. They sped past more destroyed houses and weaved between abandoned automobiles. Granger was whipping her head looking around for signs of the victim.

A new sound accompanied the screams.

At last he saw up ahead a half dozen or so Flesh Eaters surrounding a vehicle. They were pressed against the windows trying to claw their way to a girl that was trapped inside it. He could see that one had broken through the back window was attempting to reach her. The girl continued to scream, covering her head as she sunk further down in her seat.

Granger was aiming her wand and yelling spells as she ran. One by one the Flesh Eaters were blasted away from the vehicle. While she pursued them where they landed in crumpled heaps, Draco cautiously approached the vehicle.

The girl had stopped screaming but her breathing was ragged. She looked wildly around for signs of the Flesh Eaters before opening the door with shaking hands. Instead her eyes landed on Draco.

She appeared to be around their age, maybe a year or two older, and was deathly pale. He could tell by her clothes she was a muggle.

"How did you do that? You got them away," she said in a tremouring voice as she climbed out.

"Actually, I didn't-"

He was cut off by the girl flinging her arms around his neck. Caught off guard, he stood rigidly as she clung to him spewing thank yous.

Through the dark blonde hair obscuring his vision he saw Granger pulling her knife from the last motionless Flesh Eater. She met his eyes, wiping the blade on her already dirty jeans.

"Thank her," Draco said, peeling the girl's arms away from his shoulders.

She turned around, spotting Granger who looked like a wildly formidable with smears of red on her clothes and hands, and toting multiple weapons. Draco noticed her wand was now tucked out of sight.

"Oh," the girl said, looking nervously at the gun slung over her should as she approached. "Th-thank you, for saving me, miss. I was just thanking your, er-"

"What's your name?" Granger interrupted.

"Eve," she said. "Er, what are your names?"

Draco had expected Granger to take the reigns per usual, and she did, but he didn't expect her answer.

"Jean, and this is Nick."

Why she lied, he had no idea, but he would go along with it. He did however make a mental note to complain later about being named after the bloody ghost of Gryffindor house.

"Are you alone?" Granger asked in a commanding sort of tone.

"I- yes, I mean at the moment. I was with some people but we got separated."

"Family?"

"Friends. When all _this_ happened we were camping. It wasn't safe for some of us to get home, so we just stuck together and have been on the move ever since.

"Were they killed?" Granger continued firing off questions with a tone that bordered indifference and suspicion.

"Some," the girl said, dropping her eyes to the ground, "but the pair I was still with were alive the last time I saw them. We got separated last night."

"And how did you end up here?"

"We were shacked up in a house a few neighborhoods over, but it got surrounded. I don't know if we made too much noise, or what, but we managed to escape. They went one way, and I tried to follow but tripped, then I got blocked by those _things.._ So I had to run the opposite direction."

Despite the heat, the girl rubbed her arms as if she had a chill.

"Then I found a shed to hide in and stayed there until the sun came up. This was the direction my friends went, but when I got here some of those things started following me. That vehicle was unlocked, I hoped they would get tired and move on, but they didn't. I'd been in there forever it seemed, I thought for sure I'd-"

She punctuated her story with a sniff. Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Right," Granger said. "Well then, we'll let you be on your way so you can find them."

The girl's eyes widened a bit.

"But I wouldn't even know where to start!" The pitch in her voice rose frantically. "They could be anywhere by now! Couldn't I go with you? I really don't want to be alone again."

"You can't go where we're going."

Draco struggled to keep his face impassive. He couldn't believe the coldness in Granger's tone. In their school days he had seen traces of ruthlessness in her, but never expected her to turn away someone seeking help, especially after she had gone out of her way to rescue her in the first place.

"Gra-" he began, but the scathing look she gave him silenced the name before it could leave his mouth. "Jean," he corrected himself, though she still looked displeased by him speaking, "she could walk with us for a while."

"No," Granger said. "She can't go where we're going."

The girl, looking crestfallen, didn't try to argue.

"Would you give us a minute?" Draco addressed the stranger.

She only nodded, but her eyes were silently pleading with him. Taking Granger by the hand, Draco guided them across the street next to a soot covered lamp post.

"What's gotten into you?" Draco asked.

"I don't want her going with us," Granger replied bluntly.

"Yeah, that much is clear. What I'm asking is why? I don't understand why you would bother saving her at all if you were just going to leave her behind."

"You realize she's a muggle right?"

"Of course, I'm not daft. What does-"

"You wouldn't want a muggle travelling with us anyway, would you?"

"Me? I never-"

"Or is it because she's pretty? Good looking muggles are exempt to-"

"What the fuck are you babbling about Granger! You're not even making sense!"

"No, you're not making sense! Since when are you okay with muggles?"

Draco had no idea how to answer that, or why it suddenly mattered.

"You hated me just for being muggleborn! Or was it for being Gryffindor, or being friends with Harry, or-"

"Bloody hell, Granger, just shut it! You're being ridiculous. This isn't about whether or not she's a muggle or how I fucking feel about that, it's about why you suddenly don't care about another person, especially one you just risked your neck to help in the first place!"

"We would have to do magic in front of her."

"It certainly wouldn't be the worst she's seen! If you haven't noticed, there are fucking _corpses_ walking around! The Statute of Secrecy is a bit irrelevant now, don't you think?"

She rolled her eyes, but he knew he had successfully dismantled her arguement when she offered no response.

"This is no longer about muggles and wizards; this is about living and dead. You said that, remember! If our hearts are beating, we're on the same team!"

"We are!"

"Then what's the fucking problem?"

Now they were both yelling. Across the street Eve stood looking anxious as a house elf.

"Look," Granger lowered her voice, "I don't want to be responsible for her."

"You wouldn't-"

"Yes, I would. She's not able to defend herself in the same way we are."

Draco opened his mouth, then closed it again just trying to process what he was hearing and from all people, the Queen of Nobility herself. Apparently his bewilderment showed because she clarified.

"What I mean is if it comes down to it, I'm going to save myself before I save her. I'm going to save _you_ before I save her."

Draco coudln't blame her thinking of herself, he understood that much. Slytherins were known for their self preservation. This however was the embodiment of Gryffindor's spirit. She shook her head, looking tired again.

"Look, it's getting late. She can stay with us tonight. Tomorrow we'll help her look for her friends, alright?"

Before Draco could say another word, Granger turned and made her way back across the street. There was nothing to do but follow.

"I didn't mean to cause problems between you and your boyfriend," Draco heard Eve say to her as he caught up.

If anything, the look on Granger's face was well worth all the bickering.


	6. SIX

It was the middle of the night and Draco lay awake staring at the dark ceiling. The large old house he currently shared with two women was quiet. Granger had done some revising to the wards and managed to find a way to keep them up without having all the windows sealed, and as his room was on the second floor he felt safe enough to keep the window half open. Still, this did little to alleviate the stifling heat.

He, Granger, and their current companion named Eve had travelled about an hour outside of the burnt neighborhood to seek decent shelter for the night. It had taken a couple tries, as the first house they attempted was in shambles and had an alarming amount of blood in the foyer and the second was hosting what sounded like several Flesh Eaters behind a locked door. It hadn't seemed worth the trouble.

Granger, or Jean as she was pretending to be called for the time being, had been quiet during the duration of their journey. However Eve, that is unless she was also lying about her name, talked incessantly. It had taken her only a little bit of time to shake off her nerves, but once she did there was no end to her babbling. In fact, Draco was pretty sure he now knew more about her than he did himself.

For example; he knew she was an only child. Her mother had passed away when she was young, and her father was a bastard, she said. She had quit school and moved away from home at 16. Her first boyfriend's name was Norman, her last boyfriend's name was Jeffrey. She was a Sagittarius. Her favorite color was purple. He couldn't quite pinpoint the moment he had managed to tune her out, but he estimated it was somewhere between her strawberry allergy and her favorite singing group.

She seemed to require no responses and no pauses. A few times Draco had thought he'd seen Granger's hand twitch and sensed she longed to pull her wand from its hiding place and give Eve a good old fashioned Silencio. She hadn't pulled out her wand though. Draco still hadn't a clue why they were keeping up the charade that they were muggles named Jean and Nick, nor did he have a clue why he so willingly went along with it.

Eve had taken to asking questions after a while. All it took was one time for her to ask how long they'd been a couple for Granger to speak up and correct her, and rather bluntly at that. Eve then went on to ask if they were cousins, co-workers, friends, to which Granger finally replied "schoolmates".

After that Eve had focused her attention mostly on Draco, much to his dismay.

They had come across a couple small packs of Flesh Eater's along the way. Eve, who had been unarmed since they found her, had a tendency to stand behind Draco when any of them neared, earning annoyed looks from Granger and leaving them with the dirty work of defending not only themselves and Eve as well. Once the threat was eliminated, the girl then went right back to talking.

She must have worn herself out along the way, because once they had arrived to the house- of Granger's choosing per usual, Eve had quieted down drastically. She hadn't said much while they ate dinner which consisted of canned soup and partially stale crackers.

Not too long after they finished eating, she had complained she wasn't feeling well, leading Draco to wonder if Granger hadn't slipped something into her food just to shut her up. Eve blamed it on the "store-brand soup," and said she was going to try and sleep it off. She had taken it upon herself to select the biggest bedroom and they hadn't heard a peep from her since.

Granger had selected a book off the shelf in the study and used it as means to avoid talking to Draco for a while, though it didn't deter him from trying. At one point he physically removed it from her hands after repeating himself for a third time and still earning no response from her.

"It was the first name that came to mind!" she had snapped, and reached for the book in Draco's hands.

He'd held it further out of reach. " _That_ was the first name that came to mind?"

"One of the Flesh Eaters I'd just taken down was partially beheaded. It reminded me of-"

"Nearly-headless Nick, right," Draco rolled his eyes.

She snatched at the book and again missed.

"Not so fast. What's the magic word?"

"Piss off," she'd muttered as she crossed both her legs and arms defiantly.

"Language, Jean," he chided, "and was that just the second name that came to mind?"

"No. It's my middle name."

"Oh," he had said, and handed the book back to her before adding "Eve's middle name is Marie."

She threw the book at him.

Granger had insisted on sleeping on the first floor despite Draco's offer to take the sofa. She was stretched out next to a stack of literature and reading by candlelight when he'd left her to retreat upstairs.

Now as he lay there unable to sleep, he wondered if she too was awake and even thought about popping downstairs to see. Just when he had talked himself out of it, he realized how thirsty he was. He tucked his wand in the band of his shorts and lit a candle for light instead, just incase he ran into Eve along the way.

Each step creaked as he went down, echoing through the silent house. If Granger had been dozing she probably wasn't now. When he peeked around the corner with his candle, he saw that she was in fact asleep. A book lay open on the floor, inches away from her hand which dangled over the edge of the sofa.

She had changed into fresh clothes that she'd probably found in a wardrobe upstairs, but it looked like the heat had gotten to her as well. She had stripped off the shirt that now lay crumpled on the floor, leaving her with only a thin white undershirt that clung to her damp skin and was pushed up enough to reveal her midruff. Beads of perspiration glinted on her chest. Some of her unruly curls were clinging to her forehead and neck. For some reason, he found it difficult to look away, but the longer he loomed the more he felt like a creep.

He made his way to the kitchen and filled a glass with water from the tap. He drank it all and refilled it for a second time before leaving the empty glass in the sink. Granger had said they were lucky to still at least have cold running water, and that once it stopped like the power had, things would become even more difficult. He had pointed out that they would still be able to use the aguementi spell, but she produced her signature eyeroll and told him he had no idea how much the absense of muggle conveniences would impact the world.

Draco started to head back to bed, but then stopped to rummage through a few of the kitchen drawers. Finding a clean dishcloth folded in one, he ran it under the tap and wrung it out. Removing his wand from his waistband, he cast a cooling charm that would keep the rag from warming up, then went back to the room where Granger slept.

Carefully he smoothed away some of the hair from her face before placing the rag on her forehead. She didn't stir, but he imagined she would rest better now that she wasn't overheated.

He crept back up the noisy staircase and returned to his room, shutting the door behind him. He dared to raise the window a bit higher and even stripped of his own shirt. To his relief, he felt the slightest breeze touch his damp skin.

It would be daylight in a few hours, he needed to try and rest. Closing his eyes, he found that his mind wandered back to images of Granger. First of her stretched out on the sofa, her clean skin flecked with sweat rather than blood, her face serene rather than pained and anxious. He realized he quite liked how she looked when she slept.

From there the images morphed to her wearing schoolrobes, sitting in front of him in class. Her hair was obstructing his vision, he couldn't see the lesson. She turned around and smiled at him, saying something he couldn't quite make out. Over her shoulder Snape was glaring at the pair of them.

Then she was up dancing, wearing a long gown that sparkled under the enchanted lights. Someone with dark hair was dancing with her, was it that Bulgarian Quidditch seeker, or Potter perhaps? For some reason Draco had the urge to ask if he could cut in. When she and her partner spun around, he saw that it was actually Theo. He smiled at Draco with red teeth and dead eyes before collapsing. He disappeared beneath the thick mist that covered the floor.

Granger held out her hand and Draco took it. Snow was starting to fall. It gathered on the table tops. Frosty white flakes were clinging to her eyelashes. Ice sculptures shaped like hippogriffs watched as they danced, but he noticed they were starting to melt. It was hot, the snowflakes were turning to white ash. He looked back at Granger but it was no longer her hand he was holding, it was Crabbe's and it was slipping away. It was too hot.

"No!"

Draco woke up sweating, panting. His heart was pounding. He found himself staring at the ceiling of their temporary abode. How long had it been since he'd had nightmares? Not since completing his Occlumency lessons. Perhaps he had let his mind wander too much.

It was still dark outside, but he could tell by the deep shades of blue that daylight was near. Realizing he needed to use the loo after all that water he drank, he sat up, but before he could even swing his legs over the edge he heard the floorboards in the hall creak. Instantly he froze.

Then his door cracked open.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to focus them. Perhaps his shouting had woke Granger. She'd never forgive him for disturbing her sound sleep. But it wasn't Granger who came in. Moonlight poured through the sheer curtains enough to illuminate the blonde hair and fair skin. There was plenty of skin to be seen too, as it appeared she wasn't wearing much more than undergarments.

"Eve?" he said, suddenly feeling the urge to put on his shirt.

She didn't say anything, but slowly made her way into the room. Had she had bad dreams, too? Even if she had, it was a poor excuse to come into his room uninvited. He thought she would stop at the foot of his bed, but it seemed as if she was about to crawl right in with him. Perhaps it would have been best if he and Granger had played along as boyfriend and girlfriend after all.

In his groggy state and caught off guard by the girl's abrupt attempts to climb in his bed, Draco forgot himself. At least, he forgot himself as Nick the muggle, and took his wand off the nightstand.

"Lumos."

He was about to question her intentions, but it became startling clear when the beam of light fell across her vacant eyes and bluish lips.

"Fuck!" Draco shouted, struggling to move out of her reach.

Her ghostly white hands clawed at him and before a single spell came to mind he ran out of mattress, thudding onto the wooden floor flat on his back. His wand rolled underneath the bed, taking it's beam of light with it.

He hadn't any time to even roll over in attempt to reach it before Eve appeared over the edge of the bed, crashing down on top of him.

Using all he had, his hands, Draco caught her by the throat as she straddled him and managed to keep her face at bay. Thrashing wildly, she attempted to bite his wrists and forearms, but he kept a firm grip on her neck. Her nails raked over what skin of his she could reach. Before he could plan his next move, a sudden thought made something in his stomach drop.

Had she already finished with Granger?

Had she made her way downstairs to where Granger lay sleeping, her guard down and her weapons out of reach, all while Draco had been up here, uselessly unaware. If he got out of this, what gruesome scene might await him downstairs?

Just as his slick palm lost some of it's traction, Draco heard movement in the hallway.

"Granger!"

He called out her name desperately, not just for help but for assurance that she was infact all right.

"Draco? I heard- I heard.."

She trailed off, Draco craned his neck to look at her. She stood in the doorway, motionless, assessing the scene before her.

"I- I thought-"

"Are you going to do something or did you come just to watch her tear me apart?"

He listened for an answer, but none came. Instead he felt relief as the pressure disappeared from his abdomen. Eve was being lifted from him, her legs swinging in the air. Wasting no time he got to his feet. He could barely see, but it looked as though Granger had her arm secured around Eve's neck from behind, leaning far enough back that the girl's feet were no longer touching the ground. He had no idea where she had acquired such physical strength, but was equal parts surprised and impressed.

"Open. The Window."

Granger's words came out between strained breaths. She was walking backwards in careful steps, taking Eve along with her.

Draco's reactions were not firing efficiently. It wasn't until Granger let out another strained "window!" before he acted.

Jumping over the bed, he reached the window and quickly lifted the pane as high as it would go.

"Her legs," Granger said.

Draco reached down and grasped her ankles, knowing what Granger wanted him to do. He lifted them up so that Eve was now suspended like a bridge between them.

"Wait!" Granger said. "That bandage, undo it."

Spotting the bandage on her calf, he used one hand to maneuver her thrashing legs so he could use his other hand to peel it away. Visible despite the lack of light in the room he could see the infected wound, a deep set of teethmarks.

Granger saw it, too. She nodded, a silent confirmation of what she must have expected to find.

"Okay then," she said, "now!"

He lifted the dead girl's legs over the windowsill until her whole bottom half was outside. Then Granger moved forward, still securing her upperhalf before retracting her own arm, letting the body slide the rest of the way out the window.

He didn't want to look, but it was impossible not to. For a fleeting moment, Draco was reminded horribly of their former headmaster suspended in midair as he fell from the Astronomy Tower. Bringing him quickly back to the present was the horrific thud that sounded from the ground below accompanied only by the sounds of Granger's shallow breathing.

She swept hair away from her face. Her chest heaved from exersion, sweat trickled down between her collarbones. Her thin white shirt was damn near transparent. Draco averted his eyes.

"I forgot my wand," she said.

"What?" he asked, trying to blink away all the images he had aquired in the last few moments.

"My wand! Something woke me. I heard footsteps- your voice- a crash. I didn't grab anything! My wand- the gun- I just ran. Then I saw- you and- you and-"

She was struggling to catch her breath, still staring out the window. Draco took her by the hand and led her to the bed so she could sit down.

"Just relax, breathe. It's all right now," he soothed, sitting down next to her.

"We had- no idea- she'd been bitten," she paused for breath between every couple words.

"It must have happened when she was out on her own, and she didn't know it would eventually turn her. Now we know why she wasn't feeling well after dinner."

"That could've turned out- very differently than it did."

"I know," he said, running his hands over his bare knees just to have something to do with them. "I was so relieved when you came through the door."

"Saved your neck again- Didn't I?"

"That's not what I meant. I was afraid she'd already got to you while I was up here sleeping. When I saw you, I knew everything would be okay."

Still staring at his own knees, from his peripheral he could see her look over at him. It surprised him when she reached over and took his hand in hers. He looked down at it, then up at her.

"I told you I was going to look out for us first," she said.

The way she was looking at him made him feel very, _seen_? He couldn't find the right term to explain it, but he felt very exposed in a way that had nothing really to do with being underdressed.

"Thanks for saving my neck, again," he said.

"Thanks for the cool washcloth. This heat is a killer."

Her thumb stroked the back of his hand for a second longer before she broke eye contact and then stood up.

"I suppose we should get dressed. The sun is coming up."

"Do you think," he tried to choose his words carefully, "could we stay here for a while? Maybe just rest a bit longer."

She was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. It was so difficult to not notice the soft curves visible through her shirt. He hated himself for enjoying the pleasurable distraction it gave him after all the recent trauma.

"I could use a bit more sleep, I suppose," she said, moving closer to the door. "There's more food in the pantry for breakfast, too. I could make hotcakes."

"You could sleep up here if you wanted, that way you could have a breeze at least."

"I'd rather not be in that bedroom," she said with slight cringe. He didn't blame her.

"I meant in here," he clarified.

"Oh, well I suppose I could. If you're sure you don't mind."

"I don't."

"Brilliant. That sofa really isn't that bad. Before you settle in down there would you mind bringing up my stuff?"

"Sure," he said flatly with the realization he had cheated himself out of his own room.

She walked back over and squatted down by the bed to retrieve something. When she stood upright again she held his wand in her hands.

"May I use this right quick?" she asked.

He nodded, and she pointed it at the ceiling where the fan started to spin, creating a refreshing airflow.

Why the fuck hadn't he thought of that.

It was nearing noon according to the wall clock that hung over the fireplace. He could hear gentle noises in the kitchen. Stretching his arms over his head, he felt his spine crack and pop. Grabbing his shirt which was draped over an armchair, he dressed before heading to the kitchen.

Granger was dressed now as well, clothes he suspected she had once again found in closets upstairs. Denim shorts and a green shirt that showed off her shoulders, especially since her curls were secured on top of her head. She had the table set with two empty plates. A pan was sizzling over the flame on the stove. She stood with her back to him using a tool to squeeze oranges over a pitcher.

"Morning," he said.

"Afternoon," she corrected, turning around and placing the half full pitcher on the table.

"When did you get up?"

"A couple hours ago." She turned a knob on the stove and the flame disappeared. "Lucky this is a gas oven and not electric. I never though I would see the entire power grid go down indefinitely. Luckily Hogwarts prepared me early on to live without modern technology."

"Who needs it when you have magic?"

She smirked, taking hotcakes from the pan and stacking them on a platter which she then carried to the table.

"They're better when made from scratch, but I still couldn't resist the craving for them after I found that box of instant in the pantry."

"How much spellwork did you have to do to make the oranges edible?"

"Not much, it was darker and cooler in the pantry, and they must have bought them right before so the fruit wasn't yet rotten."

 _They,_ Draco thought, their go to word when referring to the strangers who lived in the houses before everything happened. This particular house had quite a lot of photos on the wall. Draco tried not to look at them, and most of all tried not to think about what became of the faces in them.

"Sit," she gestured to the chair in front of the plate she was currently serving.

"What are those," he asked, referring to the black spots in his hotcakes.

"Chocolate chips, I found them in the pantry, too."

Along with maple syrup, he noticed she had also set out honey, peanutbutter, strawberry preserves, and a bag of powdered sugar.

"This is quite the spread, we better not get too used to eating like royalty."

"Sarcasm, this early?"

"Not sarcasm," Draco said, selecting the strawberry preserves, "this looks delicious. Perhaps the best meal we've had so far."

He thought he saw the slightest blush appear on her cheeks, but it could have just been the heat. She poured a generous amount of syrup over her stack before plunging her fork into it.

"Are you bothered by what happened with Eve?" he asked, deciding to address it now rather than later so they could move on from it sooner.

"Of course," she said, filling her glass with juice. "Aren't you?"

"I mean yes, it's dreadful. You just, if you don't mind me saying, you're quite chipper this morning compared to yesterday. I all but had to drag you out of that house. It seemed as if you couldn't carry on."

She took her time chewing, perhaps to ponder her answer.

"Despite everything that's happened," she said at last, "I just feel more hopeful than I did."

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"May I ask what changed?"

She took an extra large bite. He waited patiently for her to answer.

"I've just accepted that I'm not going to be able to fix everything, to save everyone, and when I can't it doesn't mean I should feel too guilty to go on. While I was reading last night, I couldn't concentrate. So I closed the book and tried to sleep, but couldn't."

She took a sip of juice before continuing.

"I just kept thinking about what the point of all this was, and why I was bothering to go on. I could no longer find the appeal of survival. I miss everyone so much and have been so consumed with who I've lost that I hadn't considered who's left, and what's left. Then I just realized there were still things worth fighting for. Worth living for."

Draco sat for a minute, considering everything she said. She concentrated on cutting her hotcakes. He sensed the vulnerability that had settled over her as she shared her feelings. Eager to ease the mood for her sake, he searched for a light response.

"So," he said, in a falsely pompous tone, "What you're saying is you finally realized I'm worth living for?"

She sputtered a bit on her juice, but recovered quickly.

"Is that what I said?"

"That's what I heard."

"Contrary to what you may think, Draco Malfoy, you're not the last man on Earth."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"But if I was?

"If you were the last man on Earth.." she smiled wickedly. "How dare you try and depress me just when my spirits are starting to lift."

"Well I do have a reputation for being a prick. You've not heard what they call me? _Nick the Prick._ "

She laughed so hard she snorted into her glass of juice. He even felt himself starting to smile.

"Why did you give us fake names, anyway?" he asked.

"I just wasn't sure if we could trust her. We're existing in lawless world for the first time. People are free to do whatever they want now without fear of consequences. Law enforced consequences that is. We have to be vigilant and keep our guard up. She could have had ulterior motives, been a spy, or under even under the Imperius curse. She could have been-"

"A Death Eater? Like I was?" Draco interrupted.

"That's different," she said.

"How?"

"I knew you."

"Is that the same as trusting me?"

"No. I just knew I could handle you," she grinned.

"Is that right? So you didn't need to trust me because you assumed you were smarter than me?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"And has that changed at all?"

"Well I trust you now," she said, getting up to put her plate in the sink, "but I still think I'm smarter."

"Of course you do," Draco said.

 _ **A/N Hey readers! I'm happy you're here! For some reason this chapter just poured out of me. I had it finished it less than a day (not including editing of course) so I was pretty excited to publish it. I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it! All feedback is beyond appreciated! Stay tuned, more soon xoxo**_


	7. SEVEN

They stayed at the house until the next the morning. The heatwave was still in effect, but they had done their resting and it was time to move on.

Before they left, Draco took a note from Granger's book and explored the closets upstairs. To his delight, he'd found mens clothes that were roughly his size. Granger had said she knew a bit about alteration which he assumed meant spells, but she found a sewing box and quickly hemmed the bottom of his jeans so they wouldn't drag the ground. With a belt, they fit rather well. He had found some crisp white tshirts as well, and decided it would be his best bet for staying somewhat cool. It still felt strange wearing casual muggle clothing, but what wasn't strange these days?

Granger was wearing another pair of demins shorts in her efforts to stay cool. This time she paired them with a sleeveless shirt that had candy colored stripes across it, trading in her boots for trainers. She'd even put on a decorative bracelet made of glass beads. Perhaps she was just trying to find little fragments of joy where she could. He wondered if this was how she had always dressed when not at Hogwarts. He was so used to seeing her in school robes that is was surprising how much this sort of attire suited her.

As they left, Draco glanced at the mound of freshly dug earth in the front yard where he and Granger had used magic to dig a shallow grave for Eve's body. It was more than most got these days, he thought, shaking away images of burned corpses piled in the streets from his mind.

Aside from burying a body, something he didn't think would ever feel casual no matter how frequently it might occur in their future, yesterday had been a rather good day. Instead of walking miles in the blistering heat, they had stayed in the two story house and relaxed, as much as one could relax while the world crumbled around them.

To outdo their hotcake brunch, Granger had made an interesting concoction for dinner that evening using potatoes she'd found in the pantry and some of the meat sticks they'd knicked from the store.

They had spent their time inbetween searching the house for useful items to pack and taking inventory of their belongings. Before turning in for the night they spent a bit of time relaxing in the main room of the house where plucked from the shelf and read. It was such a calm evening, Draco hadn't wanted it to end, yet when they awoke the next morning it was time for business as usual.

Before long, they had put significant distance between themselves and the house, and the sun was once again relentless. He couldn't remember ever having such a long wave of heat. Summers were usually mild. It was just one more part of the world that had abruptly changed around them.

Granger had repeatedly cast the Glacius charm on her water while also making sure to replenish it before it had the chance go empty. At one point she even poured a bit over her face. Draco sipped from his own bottle, one of his findings from the last house. He felt as if he was sweating it out at fast as he could drink. Like everything else as of late, it seemed as if this heat was also a major threat.

"It's probably better than travelling in the winter," Granger said as if she'd read his mind. "Conditions could be much worse."

"That's looking on the bright side," Draco said as he took a handkerchief from his back pocket to wipe his brow.

He noticed her eyebrows had knitted together.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she said.

Knowing better than to press the issue, Draco kept quiet, but after a few seconds she spoke again.

"Actually, everything. _Everything_ is wrong, isn't it? We'll still be dealing with this in the winter, and the spring, then Summer again, and that's only if we even survive that long. This is just the world now."

She said it calmly enough, but Draco knew her thoughts were spiraling. He couldn't bring himself to disagree, still he searched for something to say. Nothing comforting came to mind.

"Do you ever think about the fact that he's still out there?"

Draco would have asked who, but he knew exactly who she meant. The mark on his arm seemed to sting at the thought.

"Yes," Draco answered, "but he doesn't seem like the biggest threat anymore, does he?"

"No. He's outdone himself this time."

That he did. The Dark Lord could not have possibly foreseen the consequences of his little experiment. He had probably thought it a brilliant plan, an easy means of inducing fear and panic on a larger scale, but the Dark Lord never employed anyone he wasn't confident he could control, and this was definitely not what he had intended. It was a failure of epic proportions. Draco wondered if the Dark Lord would ever show his face again or if he would remain forever hidden either in embarrassment of his failure or from fear of his own creation.

They walked on for an hour or so. No amount of Quidditch practices or nerves had ever made Draco sweat more than he was sweating now. Granger's skin was also shining with perspiration. She kept her curls tied up in a thick knot atop her head and occasionally fanned herself with her shirt in attempts to cool off.

So far they had been fortunate enough to run into only manageable amounts of Flesh Eaters, but Draco wondered when that luck would run out. They did come across many dead on the ground, and both averted their eyes as birds feasted on some of the rotting corpses. Sometimes the stench was so bad, Draco had to breath through his handkerchief, offering his spare to Granger which she desperately accepted.

"Merlin," she said, her voice muffled by the cloth covering her nose and mouth. "It gets worse every day."

Draco tested the air quality with a small inhale now that they had put a little distance between themselves and a large amount of bodies.

"It's a bit better now," he informed her.

Hestitantly she smelled for herself, letting out a small sigh of relief.

"I used to love the way Summer smelled," she said. "Warm, wet earth after a thunderstorm, and freshly cut grass. I miss it."

With her words, a memory Draco didn't realize he still had surfaced. Standing over his cauldron in Potion's class as Slughorn graded their batches of Amortencia. Draco had been lethargic then. His grades were dismal for the first time and he had only feebly attempted to complete the assignment. Granger's potion, of course, was perfect, though he did remember she wasn't the winner as she nor anyone else impressed Slughorn as much as Potter had. Perhaps that was why she appeared particularly sour most classes.

What Draco really remembered though was the blush on her cheeks as she caught herself recounting the smells that were most alluring to her. He also remembered being envious of the way she spoke with such pleasure and fondness, for at the time he was deeply miserable and couldn't imagine ever feeling any differently.

He also remembered how the whole classroom had smelled of roses and rain that day.

"Draco?"

Realizing he had missed something she said while lost in thought, he looked over at her. Hopefully if his cheeks had reddened any it could be blamed on the heat.

"I said there's a store up ahead. Perhaps we should stop in and see if there's anything of use left."

Trying not to think about what happened the last time they entered a store, he nodded and headed in that direction with her.

It was obvious from the outside the store was very small. It bared no visible name but there was a large sign that read "drinks, ice, snacks" in all capital letters. There was a steel gate pulled over the glass doors. He pulled out his wand and tapped the lock. A quick Alohamora and it opened with a click. He noticed Granger still had her gun poised in anticipation. Draco slid the gate open and unlocked the glass door as well. A small bell chimed when he pushed it open.

To his surprise, everything seemed to be intact. It was dim and quiet, there appeared to be no one living or dead inside. The shop was one tiny room that consisted mostly of candy and bags of crisps. The row of shelves that partially divided the room were stocked with odds and ends including some canned and boxed goods in small quantities. There were bottles of drink behind glass doors and advertisements plastered on the walls.

Granger had wasted no time filling her bag with carefully selected items. She emptied all the waters from behind the glass doors but left the fizzy drinks. She took the cans of food, some crisps, and several packages of some sort of dehydrated meat.

"Grab what you want," Granger said as she tossed a couple bars of chocolate in her bag, "I'm going to use the lou before we go."

She put down her bag and weapon on one of the shelves, then disappeared around a corner, leaving Draco to finish searching.

He jumped to the other side of the tender's counter where there were rows of small boxes under a sign that read "cigarettes". There were several rolls of brightly colored paper stamped with the word "lotto". Then he saw the various types of alcohol.

Draco couldn't help but to linger on the liquor bottles for a moment. He had taken to having drinks to calm his nerves ever since the end of his fifth year after his father had been sentenced to Azkaban. Considering his life had continued to spiral downward since then, Draco occasionally maintained the habit.

He had just selected a bottle for himself when he heard the bell chime.

Instantly his spine stiffened. He remained crouched down behind the counter out of sight and listened, begging the stars to not let Granger choose that moment to return from the lou.

Hearing nothing at first, Draco feared it was a stranger, someone following them perhaps. He was almost relieved to hear the ragged breath and clumsy footsteps. That relief dissipated rapidly when he heard the bell chime for a second time, and then a third.

His mind was racing. He didn't dare call out to Granger. Surely she heard the bell. The bottle slipped in his sweating palms, but he caught it before it could make any noise and set it down gently at his feet. That's when he looked up and noticed a firearm fastened to the underside of the counter.

Right before the bell chimed for a fourth time, she called his name.

Draco grabbed the weapon and stood up.

"Get down, Granger!" he yelled.

His eyes found hers for a brief second before she ducked back out of sight. The Flesh Eaters, that now turned their gaze to Draco were scattered on either side of the shelves.

Aiming the weapon just as he had seen Granger do, Draco pulled the trigger, firing one shot just to the left of the first Flesh Eater's head. Steadying himself, he aimed again, this time at a closer range. When he pulled the trigger, the Flesh Eater collapsed. Repeating the motion, he succussfully took down the second. It took two shots to take down the third, as the first bullet went through it's chest and didn't even slow the Flesh Eater down. The fourth was particularly grim looking. It's face was partially smashed, leaving one eye protruding. It reached a mangled, three fingered hand toward Draco, who squeezed the trigger a final time, but nothing happened.

Cursing, Draco dropped the gun and looked around desperately, when his foot knocked over the liquor bottle. He bent down to grab it and when he straightened back up, the counter was the only thing separating himself from the Flesh Eater. With all his force, Draco smashed the bottle over it's skull. The bottle shattered. Amber liquid and glass rained down and the Flesh Eater faltered under the force, but remained standing. Draco saw Granger reappear from behind the corner.

Clutching the neck of the bottle that still remained intact, Draco shoved the jagged end through it's eye socket.

It fell with a thud, and Draco wasted no time hopping back over the counter to get to Granger.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he grabbed her bag and weapon with one hand, then her wrist in the other, before running toward the door. A quick glance in either direction showed more Flesh Eaters approaching. Before they could get any closer, Draco opened the door and sprinted in the opposite direction, still clutching Granger.

The gunshots were certain to have alerted any Flesh Eaters in hearing distance and Draco was determined to put distance between themselves and the store. They ran up a dirt path, motes of dust kicking up at their feet. The path ended up ahead, with a stretch of fence lining a road. There were a few Flesh Eaters on the other side of the fence. Following the road, they ran to the end. Panting, Draco tightened his grip on Granger's belongings which he still clutched under one arm, and her arm which was slick under his sweating palms.

He could hear she was out of breath, too. They would have to stop for rest. There were structures popping into view on the horizon. Buildings, shelter. They could find a place, settle in early, try again tomorrow. Draco could feel her slowing down a bit and slowed his own pace to accommodate hers. He looked over his shoulder, hoping they weren't being followed.

Disappointment settled in his stomach. There were a dozen or more Flesh Eaters scattered on the road, with more spilling in from the sides further behind. They could make it to the houses, he knew they could. It wasn't much farther.

A three story building sat on the corner. The windows were all busted out and glass shimmered on the sidewalks. Words and designs has been painted on it's walls. The phrase "end of days" painted in a toxic shade of green stood out in the blur of writings.

"Draco," she said.

He turned to look at her. Her face was reddened and loose tendrils of hair were pasted across her cheeks and forehead. He stopped walking.

"Water," she gestured toward his bag.

Putting her gun on the ground, he used his wand to Accio the water from her bag. She took it and drank short ships, pausing for air in between. Stepping into the shadow of the building to avoid the sun, she leaned against the wall to rest. Draco looked around to make sure no threats had caught up to them and was just about to retrieve his own bottle when he heard hers hit the ground.

An arm, rotting and skinned in places was protruding from the broken window next to Granger and was pulling her by the elbow, which was getting dangerously close to the jagged shards of glass. She used her other hand to pry at the fingers just as Draco aimed his wand.

"Relashio!"

The arm disappeared and a muffled thud sounded from within the building.

"Lets go!" Draco said.

They took off and made it about 50 steps before Granger stopped in her tracks.

"My gun!" she said, turning around.

Draco turned too, and saw her gun laying on the ground where he'd set it down.

"Stay put," he said, sprinting back to retrieve it.

The arm had reappeared at the window, accompanied by several more. One bald Flesh Eater had it's entire torso out of the window in attempts to reach him. Skidding to a stop, Draco picked up the gun just as he heard Granger call his name.

Looking up, he saw that a few Flesh Eaters now stood between himself and Granger obstructing her from view. He ran toward them in attempts to reach Granger on the other side, but as got closer, more and more spilled in from the alley.

She called his name again, causing all the Flesh Eaters to turn their attention on her.

"Fuck!" Draco yelled. "Hey, you bastards! Over here!"

Most of them turned toward him, but she continued to call his name and many kept on in her direction. There were more than he could count now. He couldn't see Granger at all. He debated using the gun, the noise couldn't possibly make things any worse. Still, he pulled out his wand instead and began casting every spell that came to mind.

Several Flesh Eaters were knocked off their feet, others were thrown into the air before landing in broken heaps only to continue dragging themselves across the ground toward him. He blasted a couple so far they actually landed on top of abandoned vehicles. That was the first mistake.

The sound of glass breaking and metal caving was instantly drowned out by an alarm that echoed through the streets. He was wrong, the noise could make things even worse.

Flesh Eaters seemed to spill out of every crevice at that point. They had landed themselves right in the middle of an overran town. There was a sea of walking corpses separating him from Granger now. He called her name, but it did no good. The sound of the alarm chorused by a symphony of ragged, gurgling breaths drowned out his voice completely.

They were closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder as he backed away. The path behind him was clearer, but further away from Granger. Looking desperately around, he noticed a rickety metal ladder that led to a balcony on one of the nearby building. He had to dodge six Flesh Eaters to get to it.

Jumping to reach the wrung, he pulled himself up just as he felt something brush his foot. Kicking hard, he climbed the rest of the way up till the could lay flat on the surface of the balcony. His heart hammered against his chest, his breaths were sharp and painful. He got onto his elbows and knees before making it to his feet.

The scene below him was chaos. Flesh Eaters were starting to overlap one another, filling up the spaces between the buildings and cars and trees. Panic flooded his veins. He couldn't see Granger anywhere, and in his hands he clutched both her bag of supplies and weapon. She still had her wand, didn't she? He wracked his brain, trying to remember, praying to Merlin it was in her hand and not tucked in this bag.

There was another ladder to go further up. He climbed, hoping a higher vantage point would give him a glimpse of Granger. When it didn't, he climbed the third ladder. Flesh Eaters were circling themselves with no direction. He knew she had got away, he knew she did, but it gave him no relief. How would he find her? How long could she protect herself without her belongings? Why the fuck had he walked away from her to go back for the gun? He should have never let go of her.

Feeling hopeless, Draco stood watching the army of dead move through the streets below. He needed a plan, one better than waiting here hoping she returned.

He could see some of the rooftops, they were clear. Perhaps he could apparate from one to the next. He would be able to see Granger from one of them. It wasn't smart, apparating, but he would be careful, he had no other choice. Clutching her belongings, he concentrated on an exact spot atop the building across from him.

For only a second he was suspended in nothingness, squeezed through the void, before his feet hit solid ground again. Opening his eyes, he was now looking at the metal balcony he had just occupied. Running the edge of the building, he had to skid to a stop to avoid toppling over. Flesh eaters swarmed below, knocking into one another, no order, no direction. There wasn't any sign of Granger.

He apparated again to another roof top, then again, and again, his panic increasing each time. She wasn't anywhere that he could see.

Then he noticed something, movement different from the aimless bodies circling below. A vehicle, but this one wasn't stationary like the rest, it was moving, and moving fast, speeding away up the road that lead out of the city and leading the Flesh Eaters away with it. The closest trailed slowly after it and the others followed suit.

Granger was in that car. She had to be.

"She got away," he said out loud to nobody. "I know she got away."

What he didn't know was how he would find her or what to do next, because the car was getting further away now. He could hardly see it. The momentary relief fizzled and disappeared. Granger was making her way to a place where he may never find her all the while he was stuck on this roof, and he didn't have the first clue what to do now.

 ** _A/N: I'm back! It's been a few months so let me apologize for the delayed update. This adulting is for the birds, let me tell you. The good news is that I have the next chapter nearly edited and almost ready to fire, so if you're enjoying the story I hope you'll stick with it! For me, each chapter is more fun the write than the last. Thanks for your patience, and thanks for reading! Please review, your feedback is all the motivation I need to keep going! xoxo_**


	8. EIGHT

The sun had disappeared and it seemed to take the Flesh Eaters with it. Draco was walking down a deserted road accompanied only by the sound of crickets. It was still uncomfortably warm, but the moon wasn't as unforgiving as the sun. He followed it as if it would guide him in the right direction. It was, after all, the same direction he had seen the car speed off in that afternoon. The car he believed Granger to be in.

 _She had to be in it._

He was growing wary, but had no intention of stopping. Once the car had made it out of sight, the Flesh Eaters had started to scatter off in various direction. Draco had waited until it was clear enough, then focused on a point he had last seen the car before apparating to it. The Flesh Eaters were then behind him and didn't seem to be following. He had been walking ever since.

This road was bigger than most they had travelled, with painted lines dividing it's black surface into four parts. It seemed to go on and on without branching off much. It had been vacant up until this point, but now, in the moonlight, Draco could see obstruction up ahead.

He had Granger's bag slung over his shoulder, her gun in one hand, and his wand in the other. He had searched her bag and found no wand. He only hoped that meant she had it on her and hopefully didn't lose it in the chaos.

Bracing himself for whatever was up ahead, he continued moving. It took about 10 minutes of walking before he reached it, but once he did, he could see what was blocking the path. Vehicles. Rows and rows of vehicles farther than he could see. It looked as if they had all just abruptly come to a stop before being abandoned. Perhaps something up ahead had blocked their path.

He lit his wand, which he had kept purposly unlit so he wouldn't stand out in the dark. That's when he saw it. The light blue paint, just the color of the car he had seen Granger in. It was the car closest to him, the most recent arrival to the blockage. It had to be the same one.

Rushing to it, he ripped the door open, thinking maybe he would see her curled up, resting, but he found no one inside. Maybe she had took off walking when she couldn't get through.

"Or maybe," a small voice in his head interrupted, "maybe it's not the same car at all. Maybe she was never in that car to begin with.

Frustrated, Draco slammed the door shut. He rested his head against the top off it, closing his tired eyes and trying to figure out where to go from here when there was absolutely nothing to point him in the right direction. Maybe this had been the wrong way all along. This could be a different car. Maybe she was never in the car he saw to begin with.

Not wanting to imagine what could have become of her if not, he opened his eyes. He straightened up and adjusted Granger's bag on his shoulder. When he did, the light from his wand spilled into the back seat of the car, and through the open window he saw something shine. A glass bead, like the one on the bracelet Granger had been wearing, reflected the light if his wand. He jerked open the door and his breathing hitched. More beads, just like the other, spilled across the back seat and into the floor. She really had been in the car.

It didn't make him feel better or worse, and gave him more questions than answers, but the most nagging one was wondering why she'd been in the backseat. His mind was working rapidly to fill in the blanks.

Dread seemed to wash over him. He remembered their fake names, Granger's distrust upon meeting Eve, who turned out to be harmless enough aside from nearly killing them, but Granger had been right to be cautious. There were dangerous people out there, people fighting for survival who were bound to get more desperate by the day.

Her words rang in his mind. "A lawless world, without consequences." What would people do to survive, to get what they needed. What might they do just to get what they _wanted?_

Before his thoughts went further, his feet were carrying him into a run. Adrenaline seemed to cast away any wariness he'd been feeling, and he was determined to find Granger. Weaving between the obstacle course of vehicles, Draco wracked his brain. He had no clue if he was going the right way, when an idea struck him. He stopped and took out his wand, resting it flat on him palm just as he'd seen Granger do days ago.

Thinking of her face as clearly as he could, he spoke out loud the words "point me".

The wand didn't move. He tried again, this time using her name, but nothing still.

"Fucking hell!" Draco cried through gritted teeth.

He raked his hands through his too long hair, grabbing fistfuls and tugging until a few strands freed themselves from his scalp. He just needed a clue, a sign, a push in the right direction.

 _Anything!_

And perhaps the stars were listening for once, because at that moment he saw something up ahead. It was easy to see as it was the only other thing aside from Draco's wand and the moon that illumated the night. It glowed, a bright spot among the darkness, silvery white as if it was made of nothing more than mist and light itself.

It soared above the ground, gracefully weaving around the obstacle of cars. Draco stood transfixed, it's form becoming more clear as it neared, a creature of some sort. A patronus- _her_ patronus!

She had found a way to call to him. A brilliant move, one he would have never thought of, especially since he had never actually conjured a corporeal patronus himself.

He could see it fully now, an otter, beckoning him, willing him to follow. He had no idea how far, but it didn't matter. He would go, he would walk all night, all day again, as long as he needed to.

For hours he pressed on. The muscles in his legs protested as he carried on, but he kept his pace, determined to not let the patronus out of his sight. It did seem to be waiting for him however. He trusted it would lead right to her. It had veered off the highway, for which he was glad. Some of the vehicles hadn't been so abandoned after all. Several had Flesh Eaters trapped inside, not capable of managing the door handle, lucky for Draco.

The wispy, silver otter led him down a winding road. He followed it through a cemetery, which was quiet and still. He kept up as it turned sharply around a bend and cut through a small orchard. Not much further now, she couldn't be much further.

Then the patronus stopped quite abruptly, and Draco stopped too, looking around as if he may see Granger standing out in the open waiting for him.

"What now?" he said aloud, feeling ridiculous as he did so.

As if the patronus was going to answer him.

But then it began moving again, leading him further up an incline that turned into a hill. On top of the hill was a rickety looking house, abandoned like most all the other houses these days, but probably since way before the world stopped.

The patronus went to the front door of the house, turned in place to look at Draco, then dissolved into nothingness.

The house looked dark and decrepit. He couldn't imagine this being the place Granger had chosen to take shelter. He imagined her being brought by force.

As he got closer, he could hear it. In the windless night, their voices carried. Men's voices. His heart sped up. Faint slivers of light could be seen through the cracks in the boarded up windows. Maybe he would be able to see inside.

A shadow moved briefly across the light. Sitting at a square kitchen table facing the window was a man, maybe Draco's age, wearing a bandage around his bicep. To his left sat another man, older than the other, bigger and more gruff looking too. On the table in front of him was a firearm similar to Granger's. The shadow crossed again, and moved away from the window to join them at the table. It was a third man roughly Draco's age like the first man, with dark shoulder length hair. Draco tried to see more of the room, but it was impossible. Was she really here?

Just then, the larger man stood up from the table, and Draco spotted her. She had been obscured by his size but there she was, sitting rigidly straight with her jaw set in its usual stubborn manner. The man with the bandage spoke to her. She nodded, without making eye contact. He smiled a sickening smile and reached out to touch her chin. She didn't flinch, but her hands resting in her lap curled into fists. She wasn't holding her wand.

He needed a plan, something better than attempting to curse them through the crack of the boards.

The man let his hand fall away from her chin and took a sip of amber liquid from a glass. Draco wanted to keep watching, but a sound made him turn around. It was a Flesh Eater, just one, a few dozen paces away. Firing Granger's gun wasn't an option, they couldn't know he was here yet.

Draco looked around and found a large stone the size of a bludger at the base of the house. He picked it up and approached the Flesh Eater, then with all of his force he brought it down atop its skull. It crumpled to the ground with a thud. Draco gave it one more heavy blow for good measure.

When he returned to the window again, the two other men were gone. Only Granger, the bandaged man, and his now empty glass remained at the table. He was leaning closer to Granger, and she in turn had her back pressed hard against the wooden chair in which she sat. Draco listened intently. He could here the man talking, but couldn't make out the words. His hand crept over to Granger's lap, finding one of her hands and taking it for himself. He then used it to pull her swiftly out of her chair and onto his lap.

There was no time for a plan. Draco stepped away from the window, ready to burst right through it, when another sound made him freeze. A clicking sound, followed by a mocking voice.

"We've got a live one," it said.

To Draco's horror, a second voice answered.

"Yeah, and a peeping Tom, at that. What d'ya say you turn around real slow and look at us instead."

Draco started to turn around, but then the first voice spoke again.

"But before you do, put down your weapon. Both of them."

Draco's hand tightened around his wand instinctively as his mind searched for the fastest curse.

"He must be looking for her," the second voice said. "She had a stick, too."

 _Had_ , as in past tense. They had taken it from her. Draco's blood was starting to boil. He needed to get inside and get that man away from Granger.

"Drop the bag, too, and we'll make you the same deal we made her," the first man said. "Cooperate, and we won't blow the brains from the back of your head."

Just then, Draco felt something cold press against the nape of his neck.

Gritting his teeth, desperate for options, he did the only thing he could do to survive in the moment and dropped his defences.

"Wise choice," the second man said as he leaned down to snatch up Draco's discarded wand. "You could probably guess she made the same one. Now, turn around, you're coming with us."

All he could do was comply.

"You're a young one, too," the larger, gruff one said. He was pointing the gun level with Draco's face.

"They say only the strong survive," the second man with the longer hair said. "That puts you and us in the same boat, I suppose."

"For now, maybe," the gruff man added. "Keep walking."

The long haired man led the way as the other followed behind Draco, still aiming his weapon.

They walked around the house and into the front door. A man's voice from the other room called.

"Was it a biter?"

"Even better," the long haired man said as he led them right to the voice. "Lovey, I think we found something that belongs to you."

With a swift prod to his spine, the armed man urged Draco through the door. Granger's eyes went wide when she saw him. She was perched stiffly on the lap of the other man, and he had his unbandaged arm wrapped securely around her. She attempted to leap up, but he held her still.

"Not so fast, Lovey, don't get all stirred up."

"We caught him spying through the window. Took this from him."

The long haired man slammed the wand on the table, along with her gun. Granger sagged when she saw it.

"You're one of them," the seated man said, dumping Granger hastily off his lap as he jumped up. She retreated several steps only to have her arm snatched up by the longhaired man. "So you're with her and you followed us here?"

Draco looked to Granger, her eyes were screaming at him, trying to communicate. If only Draco had mastered Legilimency as easily as he had Occlumency.

"Tell me, mate, what's your name?" the long haired man asked as he picked up Draco's wand, looking from it to him.

Draco didn't answer.

"Your kind, not big talkers are they? Neither is this one," he nodded his head toward Granger. "Wouldn't even tell us her name. So we had to give her one. Isn't that right, Lovey?"

Granger sneered, but didn't respond, so the man kept talking.

"I've seen these used, you know," he twirled the wand between his fingers. "I've seen jets of light spurt from them, people trying to use them to ward off biters. Sometimes it worked, but never for long. So tell me, what are you exactly?"

Draco didn't respond.

"Is your kind responsible for the creating the biters?"

Again, Draco didn't speak, but something must have read on his face, because the corner of the man's mouth hitched.

"I thought so. I always heard rumors about people like you. My grandmother used to tell me there were people who could do unimaginable things, but they had to stay hidden to be safe. Doesn't look like it's worked out too well for you. I mean, how powerful can you be if all I have to do is take away your stick?"

Draco was sweating, from the stifling still air of the house and the anger simmering beneath his skin. The man slid Draco's wand into the wasteband of his pants.

"Now we didn't get so much as a thank you from this one," he gestured toward Granger again, "when we rescued her from the herd of biters. We gave her space in our vehicle, drove her to safety. Granted, she wasn't very willing to be rescued, but now I know why. She didn't want to leave _you_. Luckily we had our means of persuading her."

The man behind Draco chuckled and Draco clenched his teeth so hard they might break.

"Now I've been trying to think of a way she could repay us. Me, especially, as I'm the one who spotted her. Finders keepers, you know? There's not too many girls left around her, if any! How lucky am I to find one? Such a pretty one at that. But I'm generous. I'll share her with my friends when I'm done with her."

Draco's rage peaked as the long haired man's gaze swept up and down Granger's body.

"No worries, gentlemen," the long haired man addressed his companions, "without her weapons, she's docile as a lamb."

The larger man, still positioned behind Draco, gave another small chuckle. The sound of metal told Draco he was shifting around his weapon. In the reflection of the kitchen window, Draco could see it was briefly aimed at the floor. No time to hesitate. With all his force, he slammed backward into the man. The gun fired into the floor, and in the chaos, Draco managed to knock him off his feet. Yanking the gun from his hands, Draco spun around and pointed it at the bandaged man before either of them had time to reach for their own weapons.

"Am I supposed to believe you'll shoot?" the man laughed. Draco loathed his overly confident demeanor, his greasy voice, his hands that had touched Granger without her consent.

"Come to me," Draco spoke to Granger, ignoring the man.

She took a step, the long haired man's grasp even slackened, but the bandaged man threw out his good arm.

"You can't have her," he said to Draco.

The man on the floor was attempting to get up. Draco put his foot on the man's chest.

"Stay down," he commanded.

"Let him up, or I'll snap both your sticks in two."

He pulled Draco's wand from his wasteband, and Granger's from his back pocket. Her eyes flickered to it, then to Draco.

"Break them," Draco snarled, "I don't give a damn! But she's leaving with me."

"You're useless without them. I know it."

 _I'm useless without her,_ Draco thought, but he did not say it.

The man stood frozen between them. Draco saw the weapon in his pocket. If he reached for it, Draco wouldn't hesitate to shoot.

"You can leave, but we keep her, and that gun, and the sticks," the bandaged man renegotiated.

"No," Draco said.

"Go without me," Granger spoke up for the first time.

Everyone except the man still on the floor looked at her.

"I'll stay with them," she said. Then tearing her eyes away from Draco she looked at the bandaged man. "I'll stay with you."

He looked triumphant.

"There," he said to Draco. "Respect the lady's wishes. Everyone wins this way. You keep your life, we keep our pet."

Draco's finger tensed on the trigger. Granger didn't mean it. She had a plan. The wands were in her reach, would she attempt to grab them? She spoke again.

"I just want one thing," she said to the man.

"For you, Lovey? I'll consider it."

"Show me what's under your bandage."

"What?"

"Your wound."

"You didn't strike me as a nurse, but it's nothing to worry yourself about either way."

"Yeah it coulda been worse," the long haired guy piped up. "The bitch coulda chewed his whole arm completely off. She only got a little taste."

Draco looked at Granger. She nodded.

"We're leaving now," Draco said.

Granger took another step, but the longhaired man had completely let go of her now.

"Where do you think you're going?" the bandaged man grabbed her elbow.

"Let go," she jerked her arm free and stepped away from him. "One way or the other, things are not going to end well for you."

"In case you've forgotten, darling, I'm the one holding what you need." The bandaged man added, waving the wands in the air. "I may even let you show me a few tricks one day. I know one thing for certain though. You could very well be the only woman left, and I'm not about to let your sweet arse get away-"

The bang was so loud it shook windows. The bandaged man crumpled into a pile on the floor, bleeding from his head.

The man beneath Draco's foot cursed and the long haired man went ghostly white. Granger was the only one who moved. She reached down to retrieve their wands, then crossed the room to Draco.

"He didn't have long, anyway," she said to the two remaining men. It sounded much colder than it did consoling. "Eventually he would have died from that bite. Everyone who's bitten dies, so consider it a mercy killing."

"More than he deserved," Draco added. "Don't even think about coming to look for us."

She grabbed her bag and her gun that they had confiscated from Draco. She handed it back to him. Then she took him by the arm, keeping her wanted aimed and ready as she guided them out of the kitchen and back through the dark hallway. Neither of the two remaining men moved a muscle.

Once they were outside of the house they picked up the pace. Draco looked over his shoulder, but no one was following.

After they had put a little more distance between themselves and the house, he slowed to a stop. She was still holding onto his arm, leading, but stopped too.

"Did they hurt you?" Draco asked.

"No, but they would have. Their crude suggestions weren't exactly subtle."

Anger flared back up in Draco.

"You did the right thing. He would have died anyway."

"I was going to kill him whether or not he'd been bitten. I wasn't leaving without you."

"I was going to kill all of them if necessary. When they pulled me into the car I tried to fight it. I couldn't see you, there were too many Flesh Eaters. I wasn't sure if my patronus would find you because I wasn't sure if you had made it. I only knew you would find me if it had."

She managed the smallest smile, then kept walking. He followed.

"The patronus was brilliant thinking," Draco commented.

"It wasn't easy. They'd already taken my wand. That's why it took so long. Wandless magic is difficult, I put all my energy into it. It took a lot of tries before I managed to produce it. They didn't even notice when I finally did though."

"If you only had enough in you for one wandless spell, why didn't you use a summoning charm, or disapparate, or an Unforgivable?"

"He was in in the backseat with me, the gun was on his lap. I worried I would only get one chance, and there was a possibility I still wouldn't get away. The only thing I could think of was letting you know where I was."

Draco looked over at her, and she glanced back. There was no blush on her cheeks. She wasn't embarrassed anymore. She needed him, trusted him. Right now they only had each other, but it was enough. He reached over and took her hand in his as the marched on.

The horizon was turning a dusty shade of lavender. The sun would be up soon. Eventually they would need to find a place to sleep, but it could wait for now. The most important thing was that he had found her, and honestly he was in no hurry to shut his eyes. In fact, he may never take his eye off of her again.


	9. NINE

Before he even opened his eyes, Draco was aware of her presence next to him. He could feel her body heat despite the space between them, warmer than the rest of the thick, heavy air around them.

He opened one eye. The room was dim, but streaks of sunlight crept through the spaces in the drapes. It was probably late morning, they must have slept long and hard. Granger was still asleep. She had her back to him. Her curls fanned out across her pillow, a few stuck to her neck.

This heat was relentless.

After almost an entire day of travelling with no sleep, they had put a fair distance between themselves and the remaining two men who had abducted Granger. They had walked an endless stretch of highway for some time before branching off on one of the exits.

It was late afternoon when they realized they couldn't go on much further without some rest and finally settled on the next shelter they came across; a shabby motel in the middle of nowhere. It had required a bit effort to clear it out first, as a few Flesh Eaters had taken up residence there before them, but they had at last managed to secure a room to settle in for the night.

They had taken turns washing up and ate from their rapidly depleting food reserve before collapsing onto the one and only bed in the room. After everything that happened, there was no way they were going to stay in separate rooms, a conclusion they both came to without needing to discuss it verbally. It was a mutual need to be near one another. _Safer_. So they slept, chastely, side by side in the musty motel bed.

Now it creaked as Draco got up from it. Granger didn't stir. He peered between the curtains, momentarily blinded by light. Nothing was moving outside that he could see. He walked into the bathroom to relieve himself. There was running water but it was murky and discolored, so he produced clean water from his wand to wash his face and clean his teeth. When he returned, Granger was sitting up on the side of the bed.

"Morning," she said, her voice raspy with sleep.

"Morning," Draco replied.

She got up and took her wand from the bedside table, then walked past him into the bathroom.

Draco used that time to change his clothes. They would be leaving soon. Standing still was not at option. They needed to find more food, too. Granger returned before he had put his shirt on. Her arm grazed his bare skin as she reached for her bag behind him, causing him the slightest involuntary shiver. He recovered quickly and pulled a fresh white t shirt over his head, deciding to walk outside in order to give her some privacy to dress.

Sunlight aggressively filled the room when he opened the door, and he quickly closed it with a loud pop behind him. It was calm outside except for the buzzing of bugs and chirping of birds. The heat was as stifling as ever. He had no memory of it ever being so unbareably hot for this long.

Draco leaned on the railing and looked over it to the ground below. They had chosen a room on the second level. There was one more above and one below. They'd been too tired to make it up to the upper level. It was quiet and no Flesh Eaters wandered down the stairs as they cleared, so they let it be.

Some abandoned vehicles remained in the lot, maybe once belonging to the Flesh Eaters they had encountered when clearing out the place. A blue car sat directly below him, reminding Draco of the other night.

He was able to come to terms with what he had done and had no regrets at all. He would do it again if he had to, to save himself, to save _her._ Still, taking a life was not by any means easy regardless of the circumstances and he knew the effects would be residual.

Draco was about to return to the room, he would knock first to be sure Granger was decent, but a noise made him stop. He looked over the railing again, then around the parking lot but saw nothing. He heard it again, a _clank_ , and then he could make out the gurgling, ragged breaths. He looked up just in time to see a Flesh Eater falling from the upper level before gruesomely splatting onto the ground below.

"Fuck!"

Draco stepped back away from the railing. Then he realized he could still hear the noise, clanking and gurgling. _Another one_. This one fell just like the one before, only it landed on the vehicle right below, immediately setting off the alarm upon impact.

"No!" Draco pleaded. "No no no!"

The blaring siren echoed through the surrounding trees. He turned and reached for the doorknob but Granger was already yanking it open from the other side.

"What happened?" she yelled over the volume of the alarm.

"Flesh Eaters!" Draco yelled back, pointing upward.

The sound of breaking glass made them both look up. It sounded like a window had given out, like something was breaking through it. More would be coming.

"Let's go!" she shouted.

He followed Granger back into the room where they began grabbing their things. She was still barefooted and her shorts were unbuttoned. As she hastened to ready herself, Draco started stuffing belongings into her bag. A heavy thud against crunching metal made them both look out the open door. Another Flesh Eater must've fallen from the upper floor toward the noise. As they watched, another fell, then another.

They picked up their pace. She threw him his wand and he caught it midair.

"Grab the gun," she yelled, then slinging her bag over her shoulder she headed for the door.

Draco grabbed the gun off the chest of drawers and was right behind her, but she came to a dead stop as a Flesh Eater appeared, blocking the doorway. It was nothing but a black figure, silhouetted against the too bright sun. Granger barely hesitated. She backed up a couple steps before charging forward, barrelling through it with such a force she sent it right over the railing.

Then they were running.

They stormed down the stairs and once at the bottom, Draco went to look up to the third level. There were no more Flesh Eaters outside of the rooms, but the room next to the one with the broken window had a few sets or hands pressing up against it, smearing red across the glass.

"Ready?" Draco asked, preparing for a sprint.

"Wait," Granger bellowed over the noise, and she approached a vacant vehicle. "Room 309!"

She pointed to a slip of paper inside the front window. It read "Parking Access Room 309". She turned back to face the motel.

"That one!" she said, pointing to room with the broken window. On the door were the numbers 309. "Maybe the keys are on one of them!"

Before he could stop her she was approaching the smashed vehicle. Two of the Flesh Eaters on the hood were still moving their heads despite their limbs being twisted in horrific angles. Draco ran to her side as she began reaching for the pockets of the ones on the ground, only to find nothing.

She moved to the hood of the car. One Flesh Eater snapped it's teeth at her searching fingers as she dug in its shirt pocket. After the ones on the hood proved useless, she went to the one on top of the roof but it was slightly out of her reach.

Draco pulled her aside and began feeling it's pants pockets. There was a brass clip attached to the belt loop of it's denims, and tucked inside the front pocket was a lump of keys. Draco worked to detatch the keyring as the Flesh Eater grabbed at his hands. A jet of light streaked over his should as Granger sent a curse into its chest.

"Got them!"

He passed the keys off to her and they ran for the car. He hoped they were the right keys.

She fumbled at the lock of the car door, but after a second she was wrenching it open. Once inside she unlocked the other door and Draco climbed into the passenger seat. The sound of the car alarm was muffled significantly once they closed their doors. It was boiling hot inside its confines. Much more smothering than the outside air.

"You know how to operate this?" Draco asked as she shoved the key into a slot below the wheel.

"My Dad gave me a couple lessons while I was home one Summer," she said with a slight pain in her voice.

She turned the key and a sputtering noise sounded from below the hood of the car. She tried again.

"Oh, please! Please work," she chanted as she gave it another go. The third time the sputtering turned into a gentle roar and she shrieked with joy.

"Put your belt on," she commanded.

"What?" Draco asked, but he watched as she pulled a tether from up above her right shoulder and fastened it around herself, so he did the same.

"Here they come," she said, looking out the window behind her.

Draco looked too and saw Flesh Eaters spilling into the parking lot from between clumps of trees across the road.

Granger moved her feet and adjusted the lever by the steering wheel and the vehicle began to move. It was by no means smooth, but she managed to back it out and turn it around. There they were met with a closing wall of approaching Flesh Eaters.

"No," she muttered under her breath.

They both scanned for an opening, but there wasn't one. Over the muffled alarm they heard glass breaking. The other window gave and three more Flesh Eaters fell out of it.

"Okay," she said, steadying herself.

She gripped the wheel tightly and picked up a little speed. She was making a big circle around the parking lot. The Flesh Eaters moved and followed, trying to keep up. As she made a second loop an opening formed between the growing horde, and she took it.

Speeding up, she plummeted through the narrow gap of bodies, only she didn't completely dodge one Flesh Eater and it crumpled over the side of the hood before getting pulled underneath. The bump they felt as they drove over it was sickening.

She pressed her foot down further and they were soaring up the road as Flesh Eaters continued to appear between the trees along either side. Two wandered out right in front of them, but she jerked the wheel and managed to dodge them.

After a few minutes, and a couple turns the road began to clear.

"I think it's safe to roll down the windows now," she said.

She turned a crank on the inside of her door and the glass lowered. Draco did the same on his side. The breeze that swept over him was glorious. He didn't even care that the air itself still felt a touch warm, it was euphoric compared to the stifling, sun drenched oven they were in seconds ago. His clean white shirt was now completely soaked through with sweat and nearly transparent. Granger's face was reddened and her outstretched arms glistened, but she seemed to be recovering as well.

"Nice one, Granger," he said, feeling his pulse begin to slow back to normal. "I will say, you navigate this much better than you do the broom."

"You're unbearable," she said, but her smile was amused.

She handed him her bag and instructed him to take out some food. He piled a few apples and the remaining bags of crisps in his lap, then Accio-ed for the water bottles.

She wouldn't eat while driving because she once read in an instructional driving guidebook that a driver should never allow themselves to be distracted by food or drink. Draco smiled to himself. Here they were in a lawless world and Granger was still abiding by the suggestions of a muggle book.

She insisted on driving for a while before finally pulling over to eat. Once she was tearing into her apple, she took out her wand. Through a mouthful she muttered "point me" and it spun on her palm, landing with the tip facing left. She nodded to herself and took another bite.

"Granger?"

She looked up at him.

"Tell me where we're going."

She swallowed. "To a safe place."

"Where?"

"Far away."

"Granger!"

"Draco-"

She started and stopped, picking up her water bottle and taking a long drink.

"Why won't you tell me," he pleaded.

She continued drinking. He was trying to not become annoyed, but her stubbornness was maddening.

"You can't keep it a secret forever," he tried. "If I'm going with you I will find out eventually anyway."

She said nothing.

"Do you not trust me?" Draco asked at last.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"You won't tell me where we're going, that way if you decide to abandon me I won't be able to find you."

"That's not it!"

"Then what is it?"

Both of their voices were raising. She crossed her arms and Draco groaned in frustration. After a moment of silence she reached for the key, but he put his hand over hers.

"Granger," he said, calmer now, "please. What if we get separated again? I need to know. You have to tell me where we're going."

"I can't," she said in little more than a whisper.

"Why not?"

"Because-" her eyes were starting to shine, "you- You won't come with me."

"I _am_ coming with you! I've been blindly following you for how long now?"

"You won't."

"That's bloody ridiculous. Where else am I going to go, really?"

She took her hand out from under his and used it to wipe at her eye. She then stared out the window looking defeated. Draco waited.

"I have to know. You understand that, right? I've been patient and it's not fair of you to keep it from me."

Silence.

"For Merlin's sake, Gra-"

"Hogwarts!"

She hadn't shouted it, but it still felt as though she'd hurled the name at him, hitting him in the chest before sinking in heavily. He'd heard her loud and clear, but it didn't stop him from asking "what did you say?"

She continued to stare out the window.

"Hogwarts. We're heading to Hogwarts."

Draco closed his eyes.

 _Hogwarts!_

The last time he had been at Hogwarts.. He didn't even want to think about it! He didn't want to think about Crabbe's hand slipping from his. He didn't want to think about walking away from his classmates to stand by the Dark Lord. He didn't want to think of his parents.

His parents.

"Fucking hell, Granger!" he erupted.

She only jumped a little, she had been bracing for it.

"I can't go back to Hogwarts! You know I can't! How could you not tell me that's where you've been leading us to all along? How could you keep that from me? How? _Look at me!_ "

She did, and tears were streaming down her face now. Guilt bubbled in his stomach, but he was too upset to give in to it. This was a betrayal, and it hurt.

"How did you think this was going to end?" he barked. "Honestly!"

"I didn't! I didn't know how it would end! I didn't know if we would make it, or if you would even stay with me that long! I didn't know how long we would survive! I just thought if we did make it, you would be so happy we were somewhere safe it wouldn't matter."

 _"Safe?_ What exactly makes you think Hogwarts is safe? How could you possibly know that?"

"I just know!"

"How?" Draco shouted.

"I've been in contact with some survivors there. They say it's safe."

" _Been in contact with some survivors_?" He repeated, scandalized. "Who?"

"Neville."

" _Longbottom_?"

She nodded.

"Explain. Explain to me how the bloody hell have you been in contact with Longbottom?"

"We- We still had our galleons. Our fake galleons. The ones I made using the Protean Charm back at school during fifth year when we were all meeting for Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons in secret."

Draco stared at her. He remembered the galleons. He had caught on to their little secret club when he was a Prefect and on Professor Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad. He had even stolen her brilliant idea in order to stay in contact with Rosmerta from the Three Broomsticks while she was under his Imperius curse. Another wave of nausea washed over him at the thought.

Then he remembered days ago seeing the loose galleon in her bag.

"I started getting a code," she continued, interrupting his stream of thoughts, "about five days after everything started. I knew it had to be from a former member of D.A. I kept getting the same number sequence and at first I didn't understand. The numbers used to be our times and dates of meetings, but times and dates were of no use now, so I knew it meant something else. The only thing that made sense was the numerical alphabet. So I wrote it out. 'Hogwarts safe'. That's what it said."

Draco considered this for a moment. "So you knew it was Longbottom how?"

"Because I used the same code to send back a message that said 'state your name'. The response I recieved said N Longbottom. Every DA member had one of those coins, and I bet most kept them. If any of them survived, if they cracked to message's code, there could be more survivors like us heading to Hogwarts right now. Some could have made it there before things got this bad."

"Did you ever stop to think that it could be a trap? That maybe you weren't really communicating with Longbottom at all?"

She shook her head, faithfully stubborn even with tears staining her cheeks.

"I know it was him. Only DA members had those coins and knew how to work them."

"I knew about them," Draco countered.

"Yes, but-"

"So who's to say no one else knew? Maybe Longbottom got captured. Tortured. Given veritaserum."

"That's not what's happened."

"Even if it was him to begin with, that was weeks ago! Hogwarts could be as overran as anywhere else now."

"It's not!"

"How do you know? How do you know!"

He was yelling again. His temper had flared so badly he couldn't get it back under control.

"I just- I just have to believe it! In order to keep going, I have to believe it!"

Draco stared at her. She looked exhausted, despite their long sleep last night. She looked thin, and worn.

"Granger, I get why you would want to go back to Hogwarts. You would be welcomed back. People would be glad you were there, relieved that you survived! Do you realize they wouldn't feel the same about me? Do you think I can just show up and they will accept me, after everything?"

"Yes."

Draco should his head. "Why would they?"

"Because you're with me."

Fresh tears leaked silently from her eyes. He didn't want to be mad at her. He didn't want this feeling of deception that was consuming him. He didn't want to lose hope now, after coming this far. Still, he couldn't pretend he wasn't devastated.

Not after all this.

"How? How could you not think that it was important- _Critical_ \- to share this information with me?"

She bit her lip and shook her head.

Draco shoved the car door open and stepped out.

"Wait!" she cried, opening her door, too.

"I just need air," he snapped.

She stayed near the car as he walked several paces. She was right. Had he known in the beginning that Hogwarts was the destination, he would never have followed her. He would've gone anywhere else.

Anywhere.

But what were his options now? Separate? Leave Granger on her own and spend what was left of his life running from place to place? How likely was he to survive on his own? What would even be the point of surviving if he was on his own? What about her?

He looked over his shoulder. She stood with her back to him, leaning against the car, but he knew she'd been nervously watching him over her shoulder. He didn't want to be mad at her. He didn't want to be, but he was.

Hogwarts. A place he never wanted to see again. Then there was Granger, maybe the only person he had left. What a twist. His eleven year old self could have never in his wildest dreams imagined this sort of predicament, especially set in such a nightmare of a world.

Under different circumstances, back in a life that no longer existed, Draco would have never stuck by Granger's side, nor would she have stuck by his. They had never been friends at school. They'd _hated_ each other. Would he be going along with her now if she wasn't the only familiar face and living soul around?

Not then, he wouldn't have. But now?

Things were different now. Every single thing about him and the world around him was different now and he knew. He knew he would follow her anywhere. He was in too deep and there was no parting ways. Not now.

"Draco," her voice, smaller than he had ever heard it, called to him. "Draco, I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. I couldn't leave you behind out here, and I knew you wouldn't come otherwise. I understand why you don't want to go back. I do. It will be okay, really. We'll find some place to go. Some place safe."

"What?" Draco turned around to face her, his eyes narrowing.

She retreated a step, but recovered by lifting her chin in order to appear more confident and determined.

"I said we'll find some place safe. It will okay."

"Some place? Some place other than Hogwarts, you mean?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"After all this? You've come all this way and now you're giving up on Hogwarts? Why?"

Her eyebrows knitted together. "You- because you- I mean, you don't want to go to Hogwarts, do you?"

"What's that have to do with anything? You would give up Hogwarts because of me?"

She looked even more perplexed now, but after a few seconds she regained her assurance.

"Correct," she said, as if he had just successfully answered a question on their Charms homework, and Draco actually laughed. Just like that, he went from feeling as if he may never again crack a smile, to laughing. All because of her.

"You're mental, you know. I'll never understand you Gryffindors and your bloody nobility. I'll be damn outnumbered, too, no doubt. Between you and Longbottom. Don't expect me to start wearing red and gold. I'd rather eat a flobberworm."

It took a second for her confusion to subside, and a small, hopeful smile to break through.

"You're coming?"

Draco paused to choose his words.

"I'm not _not_ coming."

It was so fast, he wasn't even sure how it happened, but she had crashed into him with such force that he nearly fell over, and her arms were fastened tightly around his shoulders, and her hair was tickling his chin, and her words were inaudible against his chest.

Before his brain figured out how to react, she had released him. Her face was red again and he suspected his might be, too.

At least they had the heat to blame.

 **A/N: Hey readers! I'm having so much fun writing this particular fic, I hope you're having as much fun reading it! To those of you Walking Dead/Fear the Walking Dead fans, 'tis the season for flesh-eating corpses and the never ending dangers they bring. The next 2 chapters are in the works and will be up soon. How are you feeling now that we know our duo's destination? Please share your thoughts on this chapter in the reviews! xoxo**


	10. TEN

"I can't stand this heat another minute," Draco groaned as he wiped his brow on his shirt.

The grass was no longer green with only splotches of brown. Now, like most other things around them, it was completely dead and dry. The relentless sun and complete lack of rain was taking it's toll on everything, including the two of them.

"Let's rest in the shade for a minute," Granger said, as a stream of water poured from her wand and filled her canteen.

There was hardly any shade to be found. The desolate path they currently walked was surrounded mostly by fields of dying crops and dirt.

"Up ahead," Draco pointed to a single tree in the distance.

She drank as they walked, then passed the canteen. He took a long sip, savoring each drop, then gave it back to her. She took another before returning it to her bag. Strange how quickly sharing had become second nature.

As they approached the tree, a rustling in the crops made them both stop. To their left, a section of dead stalks swayed despite the lack of wind. They were dense, but not tall enough to conceal anyone of a normal height so Draco assumed it was an animal, however as the movement got closer he readied his wand just in case.

A single decaying arm emerged at the bottom of the brush. The Flesh Eater pulled itself along the ground on it's belly, and as it freed itself from the stalks, Draco realized it was missing it's entire lower half. Everything from the torso down was gone. A few black birds immediately swooped down to peck at the innards trailing behind it.

Granger made a sound they conveyed both pity and revulsion as she took out her knife.

"Leave it," Draco said, wanting to move on as fast possible so he could wipe this image from his mind. "I don't think this one will be catching up with us anytime soon."

"We should still put them down when we're able. Would you want to be left like that?"

Draco remembered her saying something similar about Theo. She was right then, and she was right now, too.

They moved on, no longer in the mood to linger in the shade of the lone tree, especially with more birds joining the feast behind them.

Since yesterday, they had covered quite a bit of distance. The progress felt so much more tangible now that he actually knew where they were going.

 _Hogwarts_. The name still tasted a little bitter in his mouth when he said it aloud. He should have known though, really. Maybe deep down he had suspected all along. It wasn't ideal, obviously, and he would have never returned under any circumstances if it wasn't for Granger. It was only because of her, like most things seemed to be now. Yet still, it was a place of refuge for the time being, or so he hoped. She was often correct about most things, so he was putting stock in her faith about Hogwarts.

"I wonder who all is there." Draco repeated the thought aloud for probably the sixth time since yesterday.

"I don't know," Granger responded the same way she had all the other times. "I hope lots of people."

"I bet I'll be the only Slytherin. Not that it matters anymore really."

"The odds aren't really in Slytherin's favor, I will admit. I imagine many of them would probably think of themselves as unwelcome, which is a shame because I know any survivors would be received warmly."

"Even me?" Draco grinned.

"Things are different now. _Everything_ is different now, including you, and if we make it there safely, it will be in part because of you."

"So you're saying whoever is there, they'll be as glad to see me as they are you?"

"Well, no," she said, trying to hide her grin, "I'm saying if anyone has a problem with you being there, they can take it up with me."

Draco laughed at her audacity, and he had the urge to throw his arm around her. In fact, he'd had the strange urge to touch her again since she hugged him yesterday.

"Looks like we're about to cross through another town," she said. "Weapons ready."

"Of course," he said.

This town seemed to be rather quiet. Like the others, it was mostly in shambles. Rubbish was scattered everywhere and broken glass glittered on the ground. Some of the yards were scorched from extinguished fires, and many frontdoors stood wide open.

There was one vehicle that was completely wrapped around a pole. Draco was disturbed to see it still contained the driver, looking at them with dead eyes and face coated with dried blood. Next to the driver was an unmoving passenger with their right side mostly devoured. The vehicle was so swarmed with flies Draco could hear them even from a distance.

Hoping Granger wouldn't look too closely at it, he kept talking for the sake of distraction.

"Tell me again who all besides Longbottom had those coins?"

"Everyone in the D.A." she said, peeling her eyes away from the scene. "Ginny, Luna, Seamus, Dean, the Patils, Hannah Abbott, Zacharias Smith.."

As she continued to rattle off names Draco noticed she again was careful to avoid those who were already knowingly deceased. She almost never mentioned Potter and still refused to talk about what happened to whomever she'd been travelling with before. Draco was almost certain it had been Weasley, but he didn't pry anymore. Maybe she would talk about it eventually but if not, that was fine, too.

"It's hard telling who could be there," she continued talking while her eyes scanned the area for potential threats. "Any D.A. members who got the message probably told everyone they could. Family, friends, other students."

"Do you suppose any teachers were still there when it started, since it was over holiday?"

"I think it's likely some of them were there. Now that McGonagall is Headmistress she probably went straight to the school when it started. Maybe she initiated the process of making it a safe haven. As long as nothing happened to them, the other heads of houses would probably be there, I hope. Flitwick, Sprout, Slughorn."

With a slight pain in his chest, Draco thought of Professor Snape. Like so many others, Snape had been killed during the Battle of Hogwarts. There were only rumors among the Death Eaters of what happened to him, but his Aunt Bellatrix couldn't help but gloat that Snape had had it coming and that she'd been right about him all along. Snape had vowed to Draco's mother to protect him, and he did. Regardless of everything else, it still pained Draco to think about his late professor.

"Maybe Slughorn alerted the Slugclub," Granger interupted his thoughts, for which he was grateful. "I mean, I didn't receive anything that I know of, but maybe he'd had more direct methods of contact with some the other students who remained at school that next year."

"Blaise," Draco said, knowing deep down how unlikely it was that he or any of the others had survived.

"Cormac," she added.

Draco stopped walking. "Dear Merlin, not fucking McLaggen."

She raised her eyebrows.

"I just- I can't stand McLaggen, the slimy git! He was the most daft, arrogant prat I ever- Did you just snort?

She didn't answer, instead she shook her head and laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just that you're one to talk."

"I beg your pardon?"

They had both stopped walking now.

"Oh come on, Draco. Arrogant? As if you didn't strut about the school like you owned it."

"Strut?" Draco crossed his arms.

"Do you prefer saunterr? Or swagger, maybe?"

"That's rich coming from you, Granger."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"I mean _you_ ; the Princess of Gryffindor, brightest witch of our year, always parading around with people like Viktor Krum-"

"I did not parade-"

"You definitely did."

The sound of scraping footsteps and rattling breath made them both turn around. A single Flesh Eater was catching up with them, and a second was making it's way from further down. Granger handled the one closest, while Draco put down the other, then they kept walking.

"You can apologize," she said in a much quieter voice.

"I'm sorry I called your old boyfriend a conceited prat."

"He was not my boyfriend, and that's not what I meant."

"He was your escort to that obnoxious Slug Party," Draco taunted, causing Granger to roll her eyes. "By the way incase you never noticed, he was a bloody terrible Quidditch player, too. No Viktor Krum, that's for damn sure-"

"Just shut it already, _Malfoy_."

"-And McLaggen wasn't nearly as good looking as he thought he was either."

"Oh," she chortled, "and you are?"

"Better looking at least than Mc-"

"Oh no," she cut him, staring straight ahead.

He looked away from her as they both stopped walking again, this time because the path in front of them was completely obstructed by a series of cars forming a barricade. The cars were all stationary and identical. The words on each of their sides read "Law Enforcement". Worst of all, now that their bickering had ceased, they could hear the droning chorus that meant a mass of Flesh Eaters in the distance.

"Damn," she said, looking around for another path. "Looks like it stretches all the way across. We could cut through a yard, take the long way around."

They moved a bit closer and could see now that the barricade was containing at least a few dozen Flesh Eaters. At the moment they were wandering aimlessly among each other and making no real effort to breach their confinement.

Draco climbed on top of vehicle to get a better look.

"It doesn't look too dense, but it would still probably be best to go around."

Of course she climbed up to see for herself.

"I bet we could make it to the other side."

"You're serious?"

She nodded. "One of us can use the Invisibility Cloak. It's too difficult for us both to maneuver under it. The one with the cloak can maintain a Shield charm, and the other can eliminate any of the ones that get too close."

"You have a death wish, I swear."

"I bet Cormac would go for it."

She grinned wickedly, and Draco had to prevent his own mouth from falling open, but he recovered.

"That's because Cormac's got the brains of a toad. Not to mention he's a Gryffindor so his plans were less than half-baked."

"Green is definitely your color," she quipped, a stab at both his pride and his Hogwarts House."

"I'll go along with this suicide mission of a plan, but not until you understand one thing. There isn't a single jealous bone in my body, especially not of Cormac fucking McLaggen, alright?"

"Ready?"

She jumped down from the car, completely ignoring him. Granger knew how to drive him mad. She was much more calculating than he gave her credit for. Perhaps she would have done well in Slytherin.

By time Draco's feet hit the ground, she was almost to the barricade. He caught up and they approached it together, ducking low enough to not draw unwanted attention too soon.

"You shield, I'll guard," she whispered.

"No way. You shield, I'll guard."

"What's the difference?"

"It's better this way."

"I see, so is it because I'm a girl? Or maybe because I'm a muggleborn-"

"Do not," Draco pinched between his eyes, "start this now, Granger."

"I want to know!" she hissed, still careful to keep her voice low. "After all this, you still think I can't handle it?"

"That's not it."

"Then what?"

"You're insufferable. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"Yes," she said proudly.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"I want to know," she said.

"For fuck's sake!"

"Draco!"

"I don't want anything to happen to you! I'd rather it be me, that's all! You'll be safer behind under the cloak."

She stared at him for a moment, and he thought she looked rather satisfied. Then she shoved the cloak in his hands and pulled out her knife.

"Let's go."

Knowing what that meant, he had no choice but to take out his wand and produced the best shield he could and they both climbed over the cars. Almost immediately they were noticed and the closest Flesh Eaters started to close in. Draco begrudgingly pulled the cloak over his head.

"Stay close to me," she said.

He would. As they climbed steppes down off the car, he followed behind her as close as he possibly could without stepping on her heels. A few Flesh Eaters approached her, but his sheild kept them at bay. He kept it around her as much as possible, which was difficult as they were vulnerable in all directions.

One burly Flesh Eater got too close on their right, and Granger stood on tiptoes to plunge her knife into it's ear. Draco's teeth were clenched and he kept his wand steady, pulling his own knife from his pocket just in case.

They moved quickly toward the other side which was also contained by a row of vehicles. He wondered what had happened here, if a particularly bad outbreak had caused the law to try and keep the affected in, or perhaps all this death happened after they had been attempting to keep threats out. Draco noticed a few smaller Flesh Eaters; children. He tried not to look at their faces.

Granger took out a female Flesh Eater that rushed them from the side. Draco adjusted the shield to knock down a few on their left. For several more painstaking minutes they worked in tandem until Granger called out.

"We're almost to the other end," she called.

Draco could see, they had nearly made it.

Then she stumbled. A hand had seized her ankle. Draco saw the Flesh Eater on the ground fighting to reach her with it's teeth. Granger first sank her knife into the closest Flesh Eater, but before she could reach down to free herself another was approaching. Draco shifted the shield to block her. She twisted to reach down, but the one on the ground was so close she had to kick her foot to avoid it's teeth.

When she did, she lost her balance.

"Granger!" Draco called, ripping the cloak off. He took his knife and sunk it into the temple of the Flesh Eater, but when he did, the shield flickered and faded.

"No," he groaned, looking around as more Flesh Eaters approached them.

They were completely exposed now. Draco threw the cloak onto Granger who had not yet got off the ground. Then with all the force he could muster he pushed the nearest Flesh Eater, which knocked down the other two behind it as well. He used his wand to blast the one on his left, and it landed somewhere out of sight. A sickly gray hand grabbed his arm from behind and he knifed it over his shoulder.

More were closing in. He couldn't see Granger beneath the cloak and feared she would be trampled.

"Come on, you bastards! Over here!"

He moved away from where Granger had been, and they followed. As he lead them further and backed right into one. It's dead hands latched onto him and he was trying to wrench his arm free before the others caught up.

He caught it under the chin with his knife, but it continued to clutch onto him. He pulled the blade out and kicked it's knees until they buckled. He pulled out his wand and was trying to decide on which spell could do the most damage to the half a dozen before him, when they all collapsed. Then he heard his name.

When Granger pulled off the cloak, she was standing before him holding her wand. He stepped over the bodies to get to her and grabbed her hand, then together they ran.

Between the two of them they managed to fend off every Flesh Eater that stood in their way, but the others that hadn't been properly put down behind them were catching up.

Finally they reached the other wall of cars. Draco jumped onto one and pulled Granger up seconds before three Flesh Eaters were exactly where she had just been standing. More crashed up against the cars on which he and she stood.

Granger jumped down onto the other side and Draco followed. Behind them more and more Flesh Eaters were appearing, pressing up against the barricade. More than it seemed there had been before. Some of the vehicles moved a fraction, and would likely succumb to the force. Some Flesh Eaters were managing to crawl up and over the cars.

"Draco," she called.

She was already ahead of him, and he ran to catch up, and they kept running for quite a while.

After taking several abrupt turns, and putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the barricaded area, they finally slowed their pace a bit.

"Stop," she wheezed, clutching her side.

Draco did and instantly felt light headed. He wiped his forehead on his arm, which did little to help since his arm was as slick with sweat as the rest of him.

Panting, Granger squatted down to catch her breath. Her face was red with exertion. Draco was not feeling so well himself. All the adrenaline had only made it hotter. His shirt was soaked and clinging to his back.

The street they found themselves on now was rather posh, or had been before the downfall of everything. They were no Malfoy Manor, but the houses were grand and elegantly decorated. The yards, though mostly brown and over grown in areas, were large and there was adequate space between each of the neighboring residences.

He felt something knock against his wrist and looked down to see her offering the canteen. He drank, which helped a little. When her breathing evened back out, Granger spoke.

"We made it."

"Barely," Draco countered. "Why did you do that? Why wouldn't you just wear the cloak in the first place?"

"Because," she started, biting her lip as she swept her hair out if her face. Then she let out a heavy sigh. "I didn't want anything to happen to you either."

Surprised by her answer, Draco remained quiet as she squatted back down to fumble with her bag.

He was painfully aware of how much he was starting to care for Granger, but it hadn't really occured to him before that she might actually care for him in return. Surely this was normal. Anyone who had been through what they had recently been through together would form a bond. How could you not?

"This heat," she said, stuffing the cloak back into her bag and standing upright again. "A dip would be so nice right about now."

"What?" Draco asked, capping the canteen.

"A swim. When my family and I vacationed in hot locations during the Summer, we always enjoyed swimming to cool off."

"We're nowhere near any lakes that I know of."

"No," she said, "that's not what I had in mind anyway."

She stood up and looked around, then she walked off and cut between two of the nearest houses. Draco followed, unsure what she was doing.

She pushed open the gate to one backyard, but before he could enter behind her she abandoned it and moved on to the next. She did the same with the next house. Third time was a charm he supposed, because she walked all the way into that back yard.

"Perfect," she muttered.

Draco followed her around the corner to see what she what she was seeing.

The back yard was completely enclosed by a tall white fence and sunk into the center of the yard was an oval pool of murky, green water. The top had a greasy looking film to it, and was peppered with leaves and other rubbish. It certainly didn't look perfect to Draco.

She approached the pool and kneeled down on her knees beside it. Taking the wand from her pocket, she touched it to the surface of the water. He didn't hear the spell she used, but he guessed it was probably Scourgify.

Within a moment, the water was a clear, alluring shade of blue, and just like that Draco craved it desperately. She looked around at him, smiling, obviously pleased with herself.

"It's a bit deep," she said. "I assume you know how to swim?"

He scoffed. "Please. Of course I can swim. Very well I might add."

He had never bothered with the lake at Hogwarts, but frequently took laps in the oversized Prefect's bath to help clear his mind. It had become one of the only things that brought him any sense of calm during that dreadful time in his life.

Not bothering to inquire any further, Granger untied her hair and kicked off her shoes. She left her bag laying on the ground, then without warning she plummeted, fully clothed, into the water.

Seconds later she broke the surface and swam to the edge to face him. Dripping wet curls snaked around her neck and shoulders.

"Are you getting in?" she asked.

Draco remained standing where he was, unsure what to do next. Granger was dressed in slightly more appropriate clothing than he was. She at least wore shorts. He couldn't imagine swimming in his heavy denim pants would be enjoyable or easy for that matter.

"I'm a bit overdressed, don't you think?"

"Just take off your pants," she said.

Draco raised an eyebrow, and instantly noticed the flush sweep across her face.

"I just meant-"

She apparently didn't know what she had meant because she didn't finish her sentence. He couldn't help the smirk he felt forming on his lips at her embarrassment, which only made her redder.

"For Merlin's sake, Draco. Are you a wizard or not? Transfigure your clothes into swimming attire. That's all I meant."

She appeared satisfied with her recovery, and floated onto her back and away from where he still stood.

She had a point, though. Plus the heat was too unbarable and the water too appealing to pass up. So, after removing his shirt, shoes, and socks, he took his wand and transformed his undershorts into swimming shorts before finally removing his denims.

Granger was paying him no mind. She continued floating on the surface with her eyes closed. Her hair and shirt flowed gracefully around her, her wet skin shimmered in the sunlight. She looked utterly serene. She looked utterly _beautiful_ , he cursed himself for thinking.

He took the steps rather than jumping. The cool water on his feet was instant relief, almost euphoric. He waded upto his knees, then thighs, relishing in the contrast of temperatures from his upper to lower body before allowing himself to fully submerge.

It was the best thing he had felt in a very long time.

Sensing the disturbance in the water, Granger looked up. It should have felt more awkward, being in such a position with her, one that he would have never imagined in his wildest dreams, but it didn't. Perhaps they had already been through too much in their brief time together.

He was in deep enough now that his feet no longer touched the bottom. She waded nearby in the deeper end.

"You're going to burn," she called out.

He realized she was referring to his skin, which was as pale as always on his chest and shoulders, though he now noticed his arms had become a few shades darker during their travels in the sun.

She swam to the shallow area and pulled herself out. Water poured from her clothes, dripping down her legs which he now noticed were rather brown. She bent over and fumbled in her bag. Draco tried to resist staring. Finally she stood up, producing a small bottle. It wasn't any potion he recognized, so it had to be some sort of muggle product. She tossed it to him, making a splash as it landed in the water before him. The label read "sunscreen".

Figuring it couldn't hurt, Draco swam to where he could stand again. Once the water was only waist deep, he began rubbing the cream into his skin, covering his torso, chest, and shoulders.

"Here," Granger, who was back in the water again, said, "I can reach your back."

She held out her hand for the bottle. Again, it should have felt more awkward, but he noticed it didn't somehow. They were becoming comfortable with each other. It was bound to happen, he supposed, after sleeping under the same roof, in the same _bed_ even. Not to mention saving each other's lives a number of times.

He couldn't help but notice she had a light touch and rather soft hands as she smoothed the cream into his skin. She ran her palms over the back of his neck, the blades of his shoulders, and down either side of his spine. He felt chills erupt on his skin that had nothing to do with the temperature of the water. Then it was over and she was floating lazily away from him once more.

Eager to regain himself, he sunk below the surface and let the water engulf him. This didn't help as much as he'd hoped it would, because through the beams of light that cut through the rippling water, he could see her. Her legs, gracefully kicking just gently enough to keep her afloat. Her navel and ribcage exposed as her shirt floated upward. The effect was ethereal and caused a feeling of tranquility to wash over him, so much so that he might drown without even noticing.

Then, she was sinking below the surface too. The way her back arched as she swam, and her hair cascaded behind her, it reminded him of the mermaid in the painting the Prefect's bathroom. He had always liked that mermaid. Granger was coming toward him, and it was only when she was almost close enough to touch that he realized how desperately he needed air. Breaking the surface was like waking from a dream.

He was still blinking the water from his eyes when she came up for air before him. Draco anchored himself against the edge of the pool to stay afloat, and she did the same. She was so close, he could see beads of water clinging to her eyelashes. He could feel her gaze penetrating his skin deeper than the blistering rays of sun. He hadn't even realized he was thinking outloud until he heard his own voice.

"You're not the same as you were before."

It sounded so stupid to him, hearing it aloud, but she looked thoughtful.

"I know," she said. "How could I be? Sometimes I feel like I don't even remember that person."

He knew exactly what she meant.

"You're not the same either," she added.

"I think that's a good thing."

"I think so, too."

Looking at this version of her wasn't the same as looking at her back in school. Now he saw the loss, the sadness in her eyes, but he saw something else there, too. A sort of liberation that showed even in the way she carried herself.

Gone were the days of staggering down the corridors under the crushing weight of a dozen books and the pressure to exceed expectations. She had always been out to prove she was worthy, that she deserved to be at Hogwarts as much as any other pureblood witch or wizard, and she did. Deep down, Draco knew even back then that she deserved it more than most. She had always been confident of her mind and wasn't afraid to show it, but now she was confident in her actions, her abilities, her body. She was living fiercely because there was nothing left to lose, nothing left to fear.

Almost nothing.

"This is nice," she said in a voice much softer than normal.

"Yeah, it is," Draco agreed, and he wished so badly it could stay like this.

She smiled, and her leg accidentally, or maybe not so accidentally brushed his as she kicked beneath the water. She was starting to drift away again, letting her hand slip from the pool's stone edge.

With the way the world was now, with no promise of a tomorrow, it was impossible to know when or if you would be awarded another chance to do something you wanted, should you decide to wait to do it. Time was so uncertain now, waiting to do anything was a much higher risk than just doing it in that moment. Danger had a way of making people braver.

Reaching beneath the water, he took her hand in his before she- and before the moment- could slip away. She looked down at their hands and then back up at him. He wasn't absolutely positive he knew how this would turn out, but trying felt worth it. Something gave him the nudge to push forward. Perhaps it was the way her gaze kept flickering to his mouth.

Slowly he moved closer, keeping one hand secured on the edge of the pool, then moving the other to support her around the waist. Before he could close the remaining distance however, she did it for him.

His eyes hadn't even closed before her lips were melting into his. For mere seconds, they were as still as statues, then something instinctual took over and he was caressing her mouth gently with his. He focused all the building tension into his one hand still gripping the stone edge, because the urge to touch her, to squeeze her, to rake his hands all over her, was overwhelming.

She didn't seem quite as concerned about being gentle with him. Each of her hands were managing separate tasks. One was tangled in his wet hair, tugging at the slick strands with moderate force. The other was trailing down his neck, nails gliding sharply on his skin, her thumb grazing his Adam's apple.

Just as he felt dangerously close to coming completely undone, she bit down gently on his lip, just enough to make an involuntary groan sound from somewhere within him.

In an effort to stay above water, she wrapped her legs firmly around his bare waist, her smooth skin sliding delicately over his. Draco turned them so her back was against the wall of the pool, allowing him to use both hands to support them.

While his mind was in a sort of dreamlike trance, his heartrate hammered wildly against his chest. Perhaps she could feel it, as she too was flush against his chest. Could he feel hers as well? He knew he wanted to.

Her mouth was working ravenously against his with an intensity he never would have suspected her to be capable of. How wrong he had been about so many things, but finally for the first time he felt very right. Except for what he thought about the pool, he was wrong about that.

Turns out _this_ was the best thing he'd felt in a very long time.


End file.
